What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot/owner departed hard surfaced runway at West Fargo Utility Airport with float equipped aircraft. Aircraft was on detachable wheeled dollys which remained on the ground after the aircraft departed. Pilot stayed in the traffic pattern and attempted a landing on dry grass adjacent to the runway. During landing the left float rigging collapsed causing the aircraft to nose over. Prop struck the ground as id the left wing. Upon arrival at the aircraft on 6-14-01 it was found that the left wing had been removed to an unknown location. The wing was located in Minnesota on 7-9-01 and an inspection revealed spar damage to the left wing. (Substantial).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT/OWNER DEPARTED HARD SURFACED RUNWAY AT WEST FARGO UTILITY AIRPORT WITH FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT WAS ON DETACHABLE WHEELED DOLLYS WHICH REMAINED ON THE GROUND AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED. PILOT STAYED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON DRY GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. DURING LANDING THE LEFT FLOAT RIGGING COLLAPSED CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER. PROP STRUCK THE GROUND AS ID THE LEFT WING. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRCRAFT ON 6-14-01 IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT WING HAD BEEN REMOVED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. THE WING WAS LOCATED IN MINNESOTA ON 7-9-01 AND AN INSPECTION REVEALED SPAR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING. (SUBSTANTIAL).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.