What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mishap pilot stated that pleasure flight originated from Headland Municipal Airport (06J), at approximately 1315 CST. After gear retraction at the beginning of climb, the pilot stated that the aircraft engine was not performing properly, and he experienced a loss of power. At this point the aircraft ceased to climb and began to lose altitude. The pilot elected to land the aircraft in a plowed field, approximately 500 yards from the airfield 06J. The pilot elected to land the aircraft with the landing gear retracted. Upon impact the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aft fuselage area. The damage to the wing appeared to originate at the wing root area due to the dihedral displacement, described as an upward sweep from neutral. The left wing trailing edge damage also incorporated the aileron, the left wing float also departed the aircraft upon impact, the right wing float was dented, and the landing gear doors were damaged. (.19) on April 30, 2002, about 1430 central daylight time, a lake LA-4-200, N3121P, registered to an individual, impacted the ground during a forced landing near the Headland Municipal Airport, Headland, Alabama. Visual meteo rological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at an unknown time. According to the pilot the airplane's engine appeared not to be producing full power. The pilot could not maintain altitude and elected to land in an open field about 500 yards southeast of the airport. The pilot elected to land gear up. On touchdown the left wing struck the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MISHAP PILOT STATED THAT PLEASURE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM HEADLAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (06J), AT APPROXIMATELY 1315 CST. AFTER GEAR RETRACTION AT THE BEGINNING OF CLIMB, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS NOT PERFORMING PROPERLY, AND HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT CEASED TO CLIMB AND BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN A PLOWED FIELD, APPROXIMATELY 500 YARDS FROM THE AIRFIELD 06J. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. UPON IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND AFT FUSELAGE AREA. THE DAMAGE TO THE WING APPEARED TO ORIGINATE AT THE WING ROOT AREA DUE TO THE DIHEDRAL DISPLACEMENT, DESCRIBED AS AN UPWARD SWEEP FROM NEUTRAL. THE LEFT WING TRAILING EDGE DAMAGE ALSO INCORPORATED THE AILERON, THE LEFT WING FLOAT ALSO DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT UPON IMPACT, THE RIGHT WING FLOAT WAS DENTED, AND THE LANDING GEAR DOORS WERE DAMAGED. (.19) ON APRIL 30, 2002, ABOUT 1430 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A LAKE LA-4-200, N3121P, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, IMPACTED THE GROUND DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR THE HEADLAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, HEADLAND, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEO ROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED FROM THE SAME AIRPORT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE APPEARED NOT TO BE PRODUCING FULL POWER. THE PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND ELECTED TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 500 YARDS SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND GEAR UP. ON TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.