ON SUNDAY, JULY 12TH 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:45AM A BOATING ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON LAKE NORMAN IN A COVE NEAR DAY MARKER 4-A.  THE OPERATOR OF THE VESSEL (V1) HAD RESTRICTED VISION DUE TO PLOWING WITH THE BOW IN AN UPWARD POSITION AND ALSO UNDER THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT.  THE VESSEL WAS TRAVELING NORTH AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.  THE INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WHEN (V1'S) STARBOARD BOW STRUCK A METAL POLE ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF A FLOATING DOCK.  THE METAL POLE LEFT A 51 1/2 INCH GOUGE IN THE FIBERGLASS OF (V1'S) STARBOARD BOW.  THE POLE WAS BENT INWARD TOWARD THE DECKING OF THE FLOATING DOCK.  WHITE PAINT FROM THE VESSEL WAS TRANSFERRED ONTO THE METAL POLE AND THE EDGE OF THE DECKING ON THE DOCK.  (V1) CONTINUED TO TRAVEL FORWARD, GLANCING OFF THE WALKWAY THAT CONNECTED THE FLOATING DOCK TO A STATIONARY DOCK/GAZEBO.  THE HINGE ON THE LEFT OF THE WALKWAY (AS IF FACING THE GAZEBO) WAS BENT, AND FORCED THE END THAT RESTS ON THE FLOATING DOCK TO FALL IN THE WATER WHEN PUSHED BY THE VESSEL.  THE DECKING ON THE WALKWAY WAS KNOCKED OUT OF SQUARE BY APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES.  THE ENDS OF THE DECKING BOARDS WOULD TYPICALLY BE FLUSH, HOWEVER, THE ENDS NOW WERE LIKE STAIR-STEPS DUE TO BEING OUT OF ALIGNMENT.  THE BOW OF (V1) PLOWED FORWARD STRIKING THE DECKING ON THE STATIONARY GAZEBO.  THE V-SHAPED DESTRUCTION TO THE WOOD DECKING IS CONSISTANT WITH THE BROWN WOOD STAIN TRANSFER ON THE BOW OF (V1).  WOOD FROM THE DECKING WAS LOCATED LODGED BEHIND THE BOW-EYE OF (V1).  AS THE BOW CONTINUED TO RAISE UPWARD, IT RIPPED THE HAND RAILINGS APART AND DAMAGED THE VERTICAL SUPPORT POST ON THE PORT-SIDE.  THE SUPPORT PYLONS UNDER THE GAZEBO WERE PUSHED INTO APPROXIMATELY A 45 DEGREE ANGLE AND MOVED THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE SEVERAL FEET TOWARDS THE SHORELINE INDICATING A DIRECT IMPACT.  THE STARBOARD SIDE OF (V1) HAD NUMEROUS SCRATCHES AND FIBERGLASS SHAVINGS THAT STRETCHED FROM THE TIP OF THE BOW TO THE STERN INDICATING THAT THE ENTIRE SIDE MADE CONTACT WITH THE FLOATING DOCK.  IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER OR NOT ALCOHOL WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.  DUE TO THE OPERATOR LEAVING THE SCENE, IT IS UNKNOWN IF (V1) WAS PROPERLY EQUIPPED WITH PERSONAL FLOATATION DEVICES AT THE TIME THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.  THE VESSEL WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.
MOORESVILLE                   