What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was setting up for a "glassy water" approach and landing at lake eloise in winter haven, FL. According to the pilot and his passenger (a non-pilot), the pilot leveled off prematurely (too high), and the plane struck the water hard while still in a flat attitude. The toes of the floats dug in pulling the plane into a nose low attitude. The plane rotated left, and the left outboard portion of the wing struck the water initiating a semi-cartwheel. Subsequently, the propeller struck; the left rotation continued, and the right outboard wing struck the water. The airplane then resurfaced and assumed an upright attitude. According to the only witness on the ground, who is a private pilot, the water landing looked good. After touchdown the engine was still revving high; the plane continued forward about 25 yards and lifted off again assuming a steep, nose high attitude. The plane stalled; the left wing dropped, and the semi-cartwheel described above occurred. No injuries were sustained by the pilot or passenger. There was substantial damage to the airplane consisting of 1) the outboard 30% of both wings damaged;2) both blades of the propeller bent rearwards; 3) left wing support strut bowed; 4) the fuselage was deformed from the cabin area rearwards; and 5) a hole on top of the fuselage above the rear seat in the cabin. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS SETTING UP FOR A "GLASSY WATER" APPROACH AND LANDING AT LAKE ELOISE IN WINTER HAVEN, FL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER (A NON-PILOT), THE PILOT LEVELED OFF PREMATURELY (TOO HIGH), AND THE PLANE STRUCK THE WATER HARD WHILE STILL IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. THE TOES OF THE FLOATS DUG IN PULLING THE PLANE INTO A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE PLANE ROTATED LEFT, AND THE LEFT OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE WING STRUCK THE WATER INITIATING A SEMI-CARTWHEEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PROPELLER STRUCK; THE LEFT ROTATION CONTINUED, AND THE RIGHT OUTBOARD WING STRUCK THE WATER. THE AIRPLANE THEN RESURFACED AND ASSUMED AN UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. ACCORDING TO THE ONLY WITNESS ON THE GROUND, WHO IS A PRIVATE PILOT, THE WATER LANDING LOOKED GOOD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ENGINE WAS STILL REVVING HIGH; THE PLANE CONTINUED FORWARD ABOUT 25 YARDS AND LIFTED OFF AGAIN ASSUMING A STEEP, NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PLANE STALLED; THE LEFT WING DROPPED, AND THE SEMI-CARTWHEEL DESCRIBED ABOVE OCCURRED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE PILOT OR PASSENGER. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE CONSISTING OF 1) THE OUTBOARD 30% OF BOTH WINGS DAMAGED;2) BOTH BLADES OF THE PROPELLER BENT REARWARDS; 3) LEFT WING SUPPORT STRUT BOWED; 4) THE FUSELAGE WAS DEFORMED FROM THE CABIN AREA REARWARDS; AND 5) A HOLE ON TOP OF THE FUSELAGE ABOVE THE REAR SEAT IN THE CABIN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8553C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.