What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On July 5, 1999, at 1240 central daylight time (CDT), a Cessna 180A floatplane, N9780B, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when during a precautionary landing to a lake, following partial power loss, the airplane nosed over. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan was on filed. The pilot and three passengers on board reported no injuries. The local flight originated at 1230 CDT, at forest lake,Minnesota. The pilot told a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector that after takeoff from a grass airstrip, he noted that his climb performance was not normal. When the pilot reduced the throttle from full power to 2500 RPM, he said he felt a shutter. During his preparation for landing on bald eagle lake, the pilot said that he forgot to bring the landing gear up on the airplane's amphibious floats. The airplane touched down on the lake with the gear extended. (-23) Mr. Baker departed the forest lake airport (25D) after a refueling stop. On climb out Mr. Baker stated that he was distracted from doing his checklist items due to the airplane not climbing as it usually does. Due to the checklist not being accomplished, the landing gear was left in the down position on the amphibious floats. Mr. Baker said that he wanted to get the airplane to his home on bald eagle lake. He said that he was only able to maintain an airspeed of 80 to 85 mph, which is about 20 mph slower than normal. All engine indications were normal according to Mr. Baker. While circling the lake to make sure the landing was clear, Mr. Baker said he was only able to maintain an airspeed of 75 mph with 10 degrees of flaps. The landing was made on bald eagle lake with the gear in the down position, causing the airplance to flip over on landing.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON JULY 5, 1999, AT 1240 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A CESSNA 180A FLOATPLANE, N9780B, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO A LAKE, FOLLOWING PARTIAL POWER LOSS, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILED. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS ON BOARD REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 1230 CDT, AT FOREST LAKE,MINNESOTA. THE PILOT TOLD A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR THAT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A GRASS AIRSTRIP, HE NOTED THAT HIS CLIMB PERFORMANCE WAS NOT NORMAL. WHEN THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE FROM FULL POWER TO 2500 RPM, HE SAID HE FELT A SHUTTER. DURING HIS PREPARATION FOR LANDING ON BALD EAGLE LAKE, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE FORGOT TO BRING THE LANDING GEAR UP ON THE AIRPLANE'S AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LAKE WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED. (-23) MR. BAKER DEPARTED THE FOREST LAKE AIRPORT (25D) AFTER A REFUELING STOP. ON CLIMB OUT MR. BAKER STATED THAT HE WAS DISTRACTED FROM DOING HIS CHECKLIST ITEMS DUE TO THE AIRPLANE NOT CLIMBING AS IT USUALLY DOES. DUE TO THE CHECKLIST NOT BEING ACCOMPLISHED, THE LANDING GEAR WAS LEFT IN THE DOWN POSITION ON THE AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS. MR. BAKER SAID THAT HE WANTED TO GET THE AIRPLANE TO HIS HOME ON BALD EAGLE LAKE. HE SAID THAT HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED OF 80 TO 85 MPH, WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MPH SLOWER THAN NORMAL. ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL ACCORDING TO MR. BAKER. WHILE CIRCLING THE LAKE TO MAKE SURE THE LANDING WAS CLEAR, MR. BAKER SAID HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED OF 75 MPH WITH 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. THE LANDING WAS MADE ON BALD EAGLE LAKE WITH THE GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION, CAUSING THE AIRPLANCE TO FLIP OVER ON LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.