What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While enroute from greeley to akron the pilot stated he observed smoke coming from the cowl and light smoke entered the cockpit. The pilot and sole occupant stated he made a precautionary landing on the lake shore of riverside near Orchard, CO. He inspected the a/c and determined the smoke was caused by a "breaking in" of the newly installed muffler and exhaust stacks. After the smoke disappeared he departed form the lake shore using a short field technique. As the airplane crossed the water it began losing altitude. The right wing struck the water and the a/c nosed. The a/c was substantially damaged. The pilot was uninjured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE ENROUTE FROM GREELEY TO AKRON THE PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE COWL AND LIGHT SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT STATED HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON THE LAKE SHORE OF RIVERSIDE NEAR ORCHARD, CO. HE INSPECTED THE A/C AND DETERMINED THE SMOKE WAS CAUSED BY A "BREAKING IN" OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED MUFFLER AND EXHAUST STACKS. AFTER THE SMOKE DISAPPEARED HE DEPARTED FORM THE LAKE SHORE USING A SHORT FIELD TECHNIQUE. AS THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE WATER IT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE WATER AND THE A/C NOSED. THE A/C WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.