A U.S. man has died after being struck by the propellor of a float plane on a northwestern Ontario lake.

Ontario Provincial Police said the incident happened Thursday at Dee Dee Lake, 30 km south of Red Lake.

The victim was identified as 67-year-old James Kowalski of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Kowalski and another man flew their privately-owned amphibious Cessna to the lake to do some fishing, police reported.

While the other pilot stayed at the controls, Kowalski left the cabin to stand on a pontoon as the plane taxied to shore. He then lost his balance, fell into the moving propellor and suffered critical injuries.

Kowalski was taken to the Red Lake airport, where he died.

A post mortem examination held at the Lake of the Woods Hospital in Kenora showed the cause of death was not suspicious

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the OPP are both investigating the accident.