RedactedNarrative: On 3-18-2018, operator was operating his vessel on the trent river downstream towards pollocksville from oakgrove bridge in trenton nc.  The vessel was a narrow 12 foot aluminum jon boat.  The vessel was powered by a 40 pound thrust trolling motor.  The vessel had two benches with a clamp on seat located on each bench.  It is my opinion based on the evidence, that approximately 30 to 50 feet prior to the location where the vessel was found on the bank, operator made a sharp turn to his port or left side to go back upstream.   I came to this hypothesis because the vessel was swamped on the port side and the trolling motor was facing in the direction to make a turn to the port side with forward propulsion.  The vessel was found with the motor still on with forward propulsion but the battery had lost all power.  This is when i believe his vessel tilted to the port or left side and began to take on water and swamp.   
  
  The current striking the port side added to the swamping of the vessel.   At this time the vessel also had an equipment failure when the seat located on the bench at the stern of the vessel gave way and tilted at approximately a 45 degree angle to the port side.  The vessel swamping and the seat giving way caused operator to fall out of the vessel on the port side.  
  
  The vessel's motor was still on and the swamped vessel operated downstream approximately 30-50 feet where the vessel struck the land due to the forward propulsion of the trolling motor.  The vessel was perpendicular to the shore.  Operator was not wearing a personal floatation device.  This is a preliminary report and i will fill in the rest when i get results from the medical examiner.
  
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