What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approximately 15:25 on 10/18/2007, this inspector was notified by the franklin county sheriff's department that a seaplane had crashed on Rangeley lake in Rangeley, Maine. Seaplane had inverted itself upon landing approximately one mile off shore near doctor's island. Both occupants evacuated the aircraft and were subsequently rescued by local fire department personnel. Both pilot and passenger reported zero injuries. Upon further investigation this aircraft has been determined to have substantial damage as both wings have been damaged, and right aileron has been torn away from trailing edge of wing, left float assembly had been driven up into lower half of engine cowl. Pilot stated that "while landing on Rangeley lake, glassy water with seaplane, was distracted by multiple helicopters. Apparently momentarily misjudged attitude of plane causing contact with left float to water, causing upset of plane."
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 15:25 ON 10/18/2007, THIS INSPECTOR WAS NOTIFIED BY THE FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT A SEAPLANE HAD CRASHED ON RANGELEY LAKE IN RANGELEY, MAINE. SEAPLANE HAD INVERTED ITSELF UPON LANDING APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE OFF SHORE NEAR DOCTOR'S ISLAND. BOTH OCCUPANTS EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY RESCUED BY LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED ZERO INJURIES. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THIS AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS BOTH WINGS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED, AND RIGHT AILERON HAS BEEN TORN AWAY FROM TRAILING EDGE OF WING, LEFT FLOAT ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN DRIVEN UP INTO LOWER HALF OF ENGINE COWL. PILOT STATED THAT "WHILE LANDING ON RANGELEY LAKE, GLASSY WATER WITH SEAPLANE, WAS DISTRACTED BY MULTIPLE HELICOPTERS. APPARENTLY MOMENTARILY MISJUDGED ATTITUDE OF PLANE CAUSING CONTACT WITH LEFT FLOAT TO WATER, CAUSING UPSET OF PLANE."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.