What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Float plane made a hard water landing 20 feet off shore at the southwest end of allen island, burroughs bay. The acft was partially submerged, the passenger suffered fatal injuries, the pilot has serious injuries. (-23)N1069M, a float equipped Cessna 172L, collided with the sea-level terrain on a private island about 7 miles south of Anacortes, Washington. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot had already turned back once; this was his second attempt to reach his destination. It appears pilot was "scud running" when he collided with the terrain.
As the FAA filed it
FLOAT PLANE MADE A HARD WATER LANDING 20 FEET OFF SHORE AT THE SOUTHWEST END OF ALLEN ISLAND, BURROUGHS BAY. THE ACFT WAS PARTIALLY SUBMERGED, THE PASSENGER SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, THE PILOT HAS SERIOUS INJURIES. (-23)N1069M, A FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 172L, COLLIDED WITH THE SEA-LEVEL TERRAIN ON A PRIVATE ISLAND ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTH OF ANACORTES, WASHINGTON. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD ALREADY TURNED BACK ONCE; THIS WAS HIS SECOND ATTEMPT TO REACH HIS DESTINATION. IT APPEARS PILOT WAS "SCUD RUNNING" WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.