What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot and one passenger departed Flambeau lake (approximately 1 mile southwest of Lac Du Flambeau, WI) to the south. After the aircraft became airborne, the aircraft encountered sinking air while in a lake cove near the shoreline. When it became apparent that the aircraft was not going to clear the line of trees at the shoreline, the pilot retarded the engine power to idle, struck a tree with the left wing, and landed hard on a floating bog. There was substantial damage to the left wing spar, lower fuselage structure, and the wing and float struts. Pilot indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER DEPARTED FLAMBEAU LAKE (APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTHWEST OF LAC DU FLAMBEAU, WI) TO THE SOUTH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SINKING AIR WHILE IN A LAKE COVE NEAR THE SHORELINE. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR THE LINE OF TREES AT THE SHORELINE, THE PILOT RETARDED THE ENGINE POWER TO IDLE, STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING, AND LANDED HARD ON A FLOATING BOG. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING SPAR, LOWER FUSELAGE STRUCTURE, AND THE WING AND FLOAT STRUTS. PILOT INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.