Short Fuse - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: As Roger helps Columbo remove the pink Silly-String from his hair, the amount and configuration of the string differs radically with each change of camera angle. (00:37:30)
Short Fuse - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: While riding in a chauffeur-driven car, Mr. Buckner wants to smoke a cigar. He picks up a wooden cigar box. The lid is secured by two pieces of black tape. He peels up one piece of tape. After a close-up of his face is shown, he peels up the second piece of tape and the first piece is now back in its original position across the lid.
Short Fuse - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: In the cable car climax, Roger opens the cable car door to throw out the cigars. Then while he is scrabbling on the floor, and there is dialogue, the doors are shut. Then, at the end, the doors are open again.
Short Fuse - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: A chauffeur is driving Mr. Buckner to a mountain cabin. It is 7:30 pm and a very heavy rain is falling. The car explodes, killing both men. When their bodies are located the following morning, the road and the surrounding hills are completely dry. There are not even any puddles.
Short Fuse - S1-E7
Plot hole: We are told several times that the road to the mountain house is very narrow and difficult to negotiate. How did the very large crane get there so quickly to lift the bodies after the crash?
Continuity mistake: When Columbo confronts Markham in the lecture hall and helps him erase the chalk board, most of the word "architecture" remains, visible over Columbo's shoulder. In the next shot, it disappears. (00:31:00)
Factual error: When Columbo initially latches onto the radio dilemma (which ultimately solves the case) the dial is tuned all the way to the left. He later tells someone that the radio is set to 'Classical 52', but an AM radio starts at 54, meaning 540KHz. There is no 52.
Character mistake: Columbo talks to the cardiologist. The doctor gives him information about his patient, Mr. Williamson. Columbo has no warrant, so the doctor is violating privilege. He wouldn't give that information to Columbo.
Continuity mistake: When Columbo meets Goldie for the first time she is having a massage. She then proceeds to dress by tying a dressing gown with a bow at the front. In the next shot the dressing gown is open with the tie at the back.
Answer: "Apparent" drowning answers your question - things are not always as they seem. Drowning could be accidental, but it could also be a murder in disguise. Moreover, the actual cause of death has not yet been determined - accident, suicide, murder, or natural cause (e.g, heart attack while swimming). Columbo would be there to investigate if anything looks unusual for it to be a mere drowning or if there is evidence or suspicion of something else.
KeyZOid
This was just on TMZ.com's "Aaron Carter Dead at 34" (11/05/2022): "Law enforcement sources tell TMZ... homicide detectives have been dispatched to the scene but we have no information or evidence of foul play. It's standard operating procedure for homicide detectives to investigate such [drowning] death scenes."
KeyZOid