What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 7, 2005, N5661J, a Maule M-7-235 float equipped airplane departed bear lake, at approximately 1000 adt. The airplane had five occupants aboard plug baggage. The pilot privacy data omitted served as pilot-in-command on a part 91 flight. The destination was big johnstone lake 50 miles east-southeast of Seward, Alaska. The occupants intended to spend the day kayaking big johnstone lake at the face of excelsior glacier. According to the pilot at approximately 1030 adt, while on approach for landing at big johnstone lake the airplane lost lift and impacted the water with enough force to buckle the float struts. The fuselage of the airplane came to rest on top of the float spreader bars. The occupants managed to escape the wreckage and swam to a nearby iceberg. One of the occupants drowned while he attempted to swim to the iceberg. The remaining occupants floated on icebergs for six and a half hours before being rescued by helicopter. Investigation showed the airplane load exceeded the maximum allowable weight and the center of gravity was outside the center of gravity envelope. Investigation revealed aircraft was out of required annual inspection.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 7, 2005, N5661J, A MAULE M-7-235 FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE DEPARTED BEAR LAKE, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 ADT. THE AIRPLANE HAD FIVE OCCUPANTS ABOARD PLUG BAGGAGE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SERVED AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND ON A PART 91 FLIGHT. THE DESTINATION WAS BIG JOHNSTONE LAKE 50 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF SEWARD, ALASKA. THE OCCUPANTS INTENDED TO SPEND THE DAY KAYAKING BIG JOHNSTONE LAKE AT THE FACE OF EXCELSIOR GLACIER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AT APPROXIMATELY 1030 ADT, WHILE ON APPROACH FOR LANDING AT BIG JOHNSTONE LAKE THE AIRPLANE LOST LIFT AND IMPACTED THE WATER WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BUCKLE THE FLOAT STRUTS. THE FUSELAGE OF THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON TOP OF THE FLOAT SPREADER BARS. THE OCCUPANTS MANAGED TO ESCAPE THE WRECKAGE AND SWAM TO A NEARBY ICEBERG. ONE OF THE OCCUPANTS DROWNED WHILE HE ATTEMPTED TO SWIM TO THE ICEBERG. THE REMAINING OCCUPANTS FLOATED ON ICEBERGS FOR SIX AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE BEING RESCUED BY HELICOPTER. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE AIRPLANE LOAD EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS OUTSIDE THE CENTER OF GRAVITY ENVELOPE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF REQUIRED ANNUAL INSPECTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.