What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Following a takeoff from a remote dirt stip the pilot remained at low altitude for approximately 2 miles to look at some property. When the pilot went to climb out from the low altitude the aircraft would not climb. He elected to land on what he thought was a dry lake bed. After landing he determined that the flaps were extended and that had caused the drag resulting in not being able to climb. He partially retracted the flaps and attempted to take off from the lake bed. As the takeoff roll continued along the lake shore the surface became softer. After approximately 2,200 feet of ground roll the aircraft sunk into the soft surface striking the prop and flipping over its back.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) FOLLOWING A TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE DIRT STIP THE PILOT REMAINED AT LOW ALTITUDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES TO LOOK AT SOME PROPERTY. WHEN THE PILOT WENT TO CLIMB OUT FROM THE LOW ALTITUDE THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A DRY LAKE BED. AFTER LANDING HE DETERMINED THAT THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED AND THAT HAD CAUSED THE DRAG RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO CLIMB. HE PARTIALLY RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF FROM THE LAKE BED. AS THE TAKEOFF ROLL CONTINUED ALONG THE LAKE SHORE THE SURFACE BECAME SOFTER. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2,200 FEET OF GROUND ROLL THE AIRCRAFT SUNK INTO THE SOFT SURFACE STRIKING THE PROP AND FLIPPING OVER ITS BACK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.