What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft departed Maple Lake, MN, on floats, lifted off the water then nosed into the lake. (.19)on July 17, 1999, at 1723 central daylight time,a Piper J-3C, N88593, was substantially damaged when the float equipped airplane impacted the water during the takeoff climb. The private pilot received serious injuries and the passenger received minor injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 flight was departing from Maple Lake, Minnesota, on a local flight. Visual meteorological condtions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. (.4)the float plane was flown from one lake to another where the pilot picked up a passenger. The pilot reported that during the second take off, he had pitch problems during the climb and that the nose always wanted to pitch up. At approximately 50 to 100 feet, the airplane started turning to the left and the nose pitched down, followed by a crash in the lake. The pilot stated that he did not do a weight and balance or a performance calculation prior to takeoff. The airplane was found with the elevator trim in the full nose down position. The weight and balance of the airplane dated may 12, 1973, recorded the maximum gross weight of the airplane as 1,294 pounds. The approximate weight of the airplane during the accident flight totaled 1420 pounds.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT DEPARTED MAPLE LAKE, MN, ON FLOATS, LIFTED OFF THE WATER THEN NOSED INTO THE LAKE. (.19)ON JULY 17, 1999, AT 1723 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME,A PIPER J-3C, N88593, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE WATER DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING FROM MAPLE LAKE, MINNESOTA, ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDTIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (.4)THE FLOAT PLANE WAS FLOWN FROM ONE LAKE TO ANOTHER WHERE THE PILOT PICKED UP A PASSENGER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE SECOND TAKE OFF, HE HAD PITCH PROBLEMS DURING THE CLIMB AND THAT THE NOSE ALWAYS WANTED TO PITCH UP. AT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 FEET, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TURNING TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN, FOLLOWED BY A CRASH IN THE LAKE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT DO A WEIGHT AND BALANCE OR A PERFORMANCE CALCULATION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND WITH THE ELEVATOR TRIM IN THE FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION. THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE OF THE AIRPLANE DATED MAY 12, 1973, RECORDED THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AS 1,294 POUNDS. THE APPROXIMATE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT TOTALED 1420 POUNDS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.