RedactedNarrative: SYNOPSIS 
  On April 11, 2015, at approximately 1830 hours, a two vessel crash occurred at a cove between the Saint Johns River and Snake Creek East of State Road 415 and West of Mullet Lake Park, in Volusia County Florida. The crash involved two airboats with a total of seven people on board. The two vessels were traveling in opposite directions when they collided with each other, ejecting all seven people. Three people were treated at the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. 
  
  VESSEL DESCRIPTIONS 
  Vessel one (V-1) is a 14 foot home made airboat with an aluminum hull, unpainted. V-1 has Florida registration number FL-9757-PH and hull identification number (HIN) FLZDK987E212. 
  V-2 is a 15 foot Diamondback airboat with an aluminum hull, yellow in color. V-2 has Florida registration number FL-2194-NL and HIN number DKP123000B707. 
  
  OPERATOR AND OCCUPANT INJURIES 
  V-1 operator was injured in the crash. At the time of impact with V-2, he was ejected into V-1’s grass rake and the cage of V-2. He sustained lacerations, contusions and abrasions, the worst injuries were to both knees. He was treated and released from Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) after several days. 
  V-1 occupant was injured in the crash. At the time of impact with V-2, he was ejected into an unknown solid object. He sustained abrasions and contusions, he was treated and released from ORMC the night of the crash. 
  V-2 occupant was injured in the crash. At the time of impact with V-1, he was ejected, sustaining lacerations and abrasions to the right foot. He was treated and released from Sanford Regional Medical Center the night of the crash. 
  
  INTERVIEWS AND STATEMENTS 
  The interviews from both operators and witnesses produced the same information. The group of seven people on two airboats were known to each other and had been cruising together during the day. At about 1830 hours, they were all on the way to Mullet Lake Park to pull the boats. V-1 was in the lead and V-2 was some unknown distance behind. V-1 entered into a dead end slough, he travelled near the center of the open water and turned starboard into an area that the slough ended. V-1 turned most of the way around to head back to the river. V-1 went to the port side bank on the way out. V-2 had been travelling into the slough on the starboard bank, approaching the starboard turn into the dead end. The vessels could not see one another due to high vegetation between them. Both vessels were in a head-on situation when they were cleared the vegetation, when they could see each other, they were approximately 35 feet apart. V-2 was unable to turn starboard and turned to port. V-1 took no action. V-1 impacted V-2 amidships and all people were ejected. Both vessels sank in a short time. 
  
  INSPECTIONS 
  I inspected and found at the crash location, there is open water approximately 180 feet across to the opposite bank. The crash occurred on a point of land with high thick vegetation, a vessel coming from either direction would not have the ability to see through it. The point has a short arc and is nearly 90 degrees starboard on the way in and 90 degrees port on the way out. The site inspection confirms the accounts given by witnesses. 
  
  CONCLUSIONS 
  
  The cause of this crash is careless operation. Both operators approached a blind turn at an angle that did not allow for the best view of what was beyond the turn. Both operators operated at a planning speed as they approached the turn. When they reached the point that they could see one another, I estimate that they were 30-40 feet apart and traveling approximately 25 miles per hour. The airboats were not capable of making large enough course or speed corrections to avoid a collision under these circumstances.