What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 06-21-02, received a report of an amateur built aircraft that crashed into arrowhead lake, Limerick, Maine at approximately 1930 hours this date. The pilot, and only person on board, received serious injuries. The amateur built aircraft was on floats. Witnesses stated that the aircraft was attempting a water landing when the aircraft suddenly climbed, engine "sputterred", then came straight down and came to rest inverted. The depth of the lake at impact point was approximately four (4) feet. Upon rescue, the owner/pilot stated repeatedly that "there was no control!" On scene investigation (after recovery) indicated no discrepancies with the flight controls, but a possible discrepancy with the plastic protective covering for the bottom of the floats. Investigation is ongoing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 06-21-02, RECEIVED A REPORT OF AN AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT THAT CRASHED INTO ARROWHEAD LAKE, LIMERICK, MAINE AT APPROXIMATELY 1930 HOURS THIS DATE. THE PILOT, AND ONLY PERSON ON BOARD, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT WAS ON FLOATS. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ATTEMPTING A WATER LANDING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY CLIMBED, ENGINE "SPUTTERRED", THEN CAME STRAIGHT DOWN AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE DEPTH OF THE LAKE AT IMPACT POINT WAS APPROXIMATELY FOUR (4) FEET. UPON RESCUE, THE OWNER/PILOT STATED REPEATEDLY THAT "THERE WAS NO CONTROL!" ON SCENE INVESTIGATION (AFTER RECOVERY) INDICATED NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, BUT A POSSIBLE DISCREPANCY WITH THE PLASTIC PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOATS. INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.