What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While performing step taxi, the left hand sponsor dug into the water causing the a/c to spin 180 degrees at a high rate of speed. Both sponsors broke off, there was no damage to the right flap, aileron and wing spar. The fuselage wrinkled due to hydraulic action. There were no injuries. (-4)the flight had landed on the lake after the pilots had been practicing landings and takeoffs. While attempting a water take off in a left step turn the bow was allowed to get too low causing the right front portion of the hull to dig in and spin the aircraft about 180 degrees. The flight instructor stated, '...I took control of the aircraft when the student did not correct the pitch attitude, but a split second too late.' The pilot receiving instruction stated, '...while completing a step turn taxi maneuver to the left apparently I allowed the bow to become too low swinging the aircraft 180 degrees to the right causing damage....'
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE PERFORMING STEP TAXI, THE LEFT HAND SPONSOR DUG INTO THE WATER CAUSING THE A/C TO SPIN 180 DEGREES AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. BOTH SPONSORS BROKE OFF, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FLAP, AILERON AND WING SPAR. THE FUSELAGE WRINKLED DUE TO HYDRAULIC ACTION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. (-4)THE FLIGHT HAD LANDED ON THE LAKE AFTER THE PILOTS HAD BEEN PRACTICING LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS. WHILE ATTEMPTING A WATER TAKE OFF IN A LEFT STEP TURN THE BOW WAS ALLOWED TO GET TOO LOW CAUSING THE RIGHT FRONT PORTION OF THE HULL TO DIG IN AND SPIN THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 180 DEGREES. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED, '...I TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE STUDENT DID NOT CORRECT THE PITCH ATTITUDE, BUT A SPLIT SECOND TOO LATE.' THE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION STATED, '...WHILE COMPLETING A STEP TURN TAXI MANEUVER TO THE LEFT APPARENTLY I ALLOWED THE BOW TO BECOME TOO LOW SWINGING THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT CAUSING DAMAGE....'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.