What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed into Leisure Lake after takeoff. (.4)the float-equipped airplane departed from water into gusting winds downwind of high, steep terrain. Witnesses said the airplane did not climb above 200 feet AGL, which was insufficient to clear terrain at the upwind end of the lake. The airplane entered a steep left bank and turned within the confines of the upwind end of the lake. This turn was in a downwind direction, directly downwind of a 2,600-foot high peak. The airplane abruptly pitched nose down, impacted the water in a vertical attitude, and immediately sank. Postaccident inspection disclosed the flaps were extended to 25 degrees. The propeller separated from its mounting studs, leaving metal deposited in the majority of threads. No evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies was discovered with the airplane. An air taxi pilot who arrived at the lake immediately after the accident reported gusts and turbulence too strong to attempt to land. He reported winds at the lake as 30 knots, stronger above, with gusts visible on the water.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO LEISURE LAKE AFTER TAKEOFF. (.4)THE FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM WATER INTO GUSTING WINDS DOWNWIND OF HIGH, STEEP TERRAIN. WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB ABOVE 200 FEET AGL, WHICH WAS INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR TERRAIN AT THE UPWIND END OF THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT BANK AND TURNED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE UPWIND END OF THE LAKE. THIS TURN WAS IN A DOWNWIND DIRECTION, DIRECTLY DOWNWIND OF A 2,600-FOOT HIGH PEAK. THE AIRPLANE ABRUPTLY PITCHED NOSE DOWN, IMPACTED THE WATER IN A VERTICAL ATTITUDE, AND IMMEDIATELY SANK. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION DISCLOSED THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED TO 25 DEGREES. THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM ITS MOUNTING STUDS, LEAVING METAL DEPOSITED IN THE MAJORITY OF THREADS. NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WAS DISCOVERED WITH THE AIRPLANE. AN AIR TAXI PILOT WHO ARRIVED AT THE LAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT REPORTED GUSTS AND TURBULENCE TOO STRONG TO ATTEMPT TO LAND. HE REPORTED WINDS AT THE LAKE AS 30 KNOTS, STRONGER ABOVE, WITH GUSTS VISIBLE ON THE WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.