A 43-year-old man drowned on August 24, 1997 when the tandem canoe he was paddling capsized in the “Oil City Riffle” (Class I-II) on northwest Pennsylvania’s Allegheny River. The two paddlers attempted to right the canoe without success. The boat spun and rolled as it traveled through the rapid. The victim, who was not wearing his PFD, disappeared beneath the surface. He was taking anti-depressants and had recently recovered from surgery. Either factor would have made it harder to hold onto a boat in the cold water. His body was found by a fisherman two days later. His partner’s PFD dry-rotted and fell off. She was spotted by another boater who pulled her aboard and took her to shore. SOURCE: Pennsylvania Fish Commission 1997 small craft fatality report ANALYSIS: (Walbridge) Flips must be expected when paddling whitewater, and everyone must be prepared to swim. No PFD, poor physical condition, and the lack of a backup boat all made it difficult for the victim to recover from a capsizing. A 43-year-old man drowned on August 24, 1997 when the tandem canoe he was paddling capsized in the “Oil City Riffle” (Class I-II) on northwest Pennsylvania’s Allegheny River. The two paddlers attempted to right the canoe without success. The boat spun and rolled as it traveled through the rapid. The victim, who was not wearing his PFD, disappeared beneath the surface. He was taking anti-depressants and had recently recovered from surgery. Either factor would have made it harder to hold onto a boat in the cold water. His body was found by a fisherman two days later. His partner’s PFD dry-rotted and fell off. She was spotted by another boater who pulled her aboard and took her to shore. SOURCE: Pennsylvania Fish Commission 1997 small craft fatality report ANALYSIS: (Walbridge) Flips must be expected when paddling whitewater, and everyone must be prepared to swim. No PFD, poor physical condition, and the lack of a backup boat all made it difficult for the victim to recover from his capsizing.