What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 12, 1999, at 1327 eastern daylight time, a lake LA-4, N1137L, sustained substantial damage during a landing on Bruin Lake, about 18 miles northwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The pilot received serious injuries. The personal 14 CFR part 19 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed about 1300. The pilot told police authorities that he was going to practice a touch and go landing on the lake. He said that on touchdown the airplane decelerated as if "the brakes were locked," and the airplane cartwheeled. He said he did not know why the airplane did this. The airplane broke into three major pieces and was recovered from the lake the day after the accident. (-23)according to witness, privacy data omitted was attempting a landing on brvine lake when he lost control of the acft. One of the sponsons hit the water causing the acft. To cartwheel.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 12, 1999, AT 1327 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A LAKE LA-4, N1137L, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A LANDING ON BRUIN LAKE, ABOUT 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 19 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED ABOUT 1300. THE PILOT TOLD POLICE AUTHORITIES THAT HE WAS GOING TO PRACTICE A TOUCH AND GO LANDING ON THE LAKE. HE SAID THAT ON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED AS IF "THE BRAKES WERE LOCKED," AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. HE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW WHY THE AIRPLANE DID THIS. THE AIRPLANE BROKE INTO THREE MAJOR PIECES AND WAS RECOVERED FROM THE LAKE THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. (-23)ACCORDING TO WITNESS, ^PRIVACY DATA^ WAS ATTEMPTING A LANDING ON BRVINE LAKE WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT. ONE OF THE SPONSONS HIT THE WATER CAUSING THE ACFT. TO CARTWHEEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.