What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Witnesses observed N512DS traveling north over the dam located at the south end of Lake Pleasant. As N512DS was over the dam all lights on the aircraft ceased to operate. The aircraft descended to a low altitude estimated to be 20 to 30 feet above the surface of the water. N512DS proceeded over a boat with two occupants (a friend, who is the boat owner, and a companion) at an altitude described as 8 to 10 feet. N512DS then made a steep bank left turn to a southerly heading passing to the west of the same boat. N512DS flew out of sight heading south. At 2002 MST the boat owner received a call on his cellular phone from the pilot of N512DS asking him to shine a flashlight in the air. As the friend was retrieving the flashlight he heard the engine of N512DS approaching. When he turned to shine the light he observed N512DS in a steep right bank, turning north to northeast toward the boat, very low to the surface of the water. As N512DS turned in the direction of the boat, the right wing made contact with the water. N512DS, of mostly composite construction, was destroyed as it impacted the water. Some debris was recovered at the surface during the search and rescue phase.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WITNESSES OBSERVED N512DS TRAVELING NORTH OVER THE DAM LOCATED AT THE SOUTH END OF LAKE PLEASANT. AS N512DS WAS OVER THE DAM ALL LIGHTS ON THE AIRCRAFT CEASED TO OPERATE. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TO A LOW ALTITUDE ESTIMATED TO BE 20 TO 30 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. N512DS PROCEEDED OVER A BOAT WITH TWO OCCUPANTS (A FRIEND, WHO IS THE BOAT OWNER, AND A COMPANION) AT AN ALTITUDE DESCRIBED AS 8 TO 10 FEET. N512DS THEN MADE A STEEP BANK LEFT TURN TO A SOUTHERLY HEADING PASSING TO THE WEST OF THE SAME BOAT. N512DS FLEW OUT OF SIGHT HEADING SOUTH. AT 2002 MST THE BOAT OWNER RECEIVED A CALL ON HIS CELLULAR PHONE FROM THE PILOT OF N512DS ASKING HIM TO SHINE A FLASHLIGHT IN THE AIR. AS THE FRIEND WAS RETRIEVING THE FLASHLIGHT HE HEARD THE ENGINE OF N512DS APPROACHING. WHEN HE TURNED TO SHINE THE LIGHT HE OBSERVED N512DS IN A STEEP RIGHT BANK, TURNING NORTH TO NORTHEAST TOWARD THE BOAT, VERY LOW TO THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. AS N512DS TURNED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE BOAT, THE RIGHT WING MADE CONTACT WITH THE WATER. N512DS, OF MOSTLY COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION, WAS DESTROYED AS IT IMPACTED THE WATER. SOME DEBRIS WAS RECOVERED AT THE SURFACE DURING THE SEARCH AND RESCUE PHASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.