What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 12/29/2003, at approximately 10:00 am PST, john d. carmichael, certificate #1784671, pilot in command of N461BD, a Cessna 172 floatplane, conducting flight instruction in VMC conditions under 14 CFR 91, crashed on takeoff from new Melones lake, tuolumne county, California. The instructor and student were not injured; the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The instructor aborted an attempted takeoff from leward of a small island in mid-lake in gusty 25 knot winds with 1 foot to 2 foot waves. After sailing back to a point abeam and windward of the island, the instructor attempted another takeoff. On the second takeoff run, the bows of the floats struck a wve pitching the aircraft into a 30 degree nose high attitude. The aircraft rolled right causing the right wingtip to strike the water capsizing the airplane. The instructor and student exited the airplane, which remained afloat and climbed onto the floats. The aircraft drifted downwind and grounded tail first approximately 20 feet from the shore of the island. Instructor and student were rescued from the island by a sheriff's department boat. Mr. Carmichael stated there was no mechanical malfunction of the aircraft involved in the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 12/29/2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM PST, JOHN D. CARMICHAEL, CERTIFICATE #1784671, PILOT IN COMMAND OF N461BD, A CESSNA 172 FLOATPLANE, CONDUCTING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN VMC CONDITIONS UNDER 14 CFR 91, CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM NEW MELONES LAKE, TUOLUMNE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE NOT INJURED; THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE INSTRUCTOR ABORTED AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM LEWARD OF A SMALL ISLAND IN MID-LAKE IN GUSTY 25 KNOT WINDS WITH 1 FOOT TO 2 FOOT WAVES. AFTER SAILING BACK TO A POINT ABEAM AND WINDWARD OF THE ISLAND, THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED ANOTHER TAKEOFF. ON THE SECOND TAKEOFF RUN, THE BOWS OF THE FLOATS STRUCK A WVE PITCHING THE AIRCRAFT INTO A 30 DEGREE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED RIGHT CAUSING THE RIGHT WINGTIP TO STRIKE THE WATER CAPSIZING THE AIRPLANE. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXITED THE AIRPLANE, WHICH REMAINED AFLOAT AND CLIMBED ONTO THE FLOATS. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED DOWNWIND AND GROUNDED TAIL FIRST APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM THE SHORE OF THE ISLAND. INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE RESCUED FROM THE ISLAND BY A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BOAT. MR. CARMICHAEL STATED THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.