RedactedNarrative: Vessel 1 departed from the Tchefuncte River at approximately 7:30 pm. The operator turned off his navigation unit moments after crossing underneath the causeway bridge as he and passenger 1 were heading back to Sea Brook Harbor dry dock where vessel is usually stored. He stated that the unit was turned off because it was too bright and was blinding him (as the sky had become dark after sunset). According to the passenger’s statement, the operator repowered the Navigation unit while on plane to determine their exact location relative to the industrial canal. 
  
  Moments later Vessel 1 collided with the western (concrete) wall of the New Orleans Lakefront Airport which extends out into Lake Pontchartrain from the southern shoreline(immediately east of the Industrial Canal). The violent collision compressed the bow of the vessel, the console/helm suffered complete structural failure with a trajectory approximately 15* port of center bow. The T-top also slammed forward striking the upper portion of the concrete wall with a similar trajectory. 
  
  The operator suffered a severely sprained/broken ankle and Passenger 1 sustained a laceration to the center of his forehead. Vessel 1 was still under motor power but was unable to be controlled). Vessel 1 was drifting from current/wind or was moving under power further out into the lake. The operator and passenger 1 put on PFDs and abandoned the vessel and swam to the shore. They then got a ride to the hospital for treatment. Vessel 1 drifted west northwest and eventually came to rest in the marsh on the north side of Manchac pass in Tangipahoa Parish.
  
  Due to the fact that LDWF did not find out about the incident until 12 days afterwards, there was no evidence that indicated intoxicants contributing to this incident. It should be noted that the investigator interviewed the East Jefferson General Hospital Staff and found no notations of perceived impairment in the resident doctor's notes about the operator upon admittance. PFDs were used after the collision. The operator was issued a citation for careless operation.
  