What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot departed sanford, Maine with three passengers heading for locke lake airport at barnstead, new hampshire (grass strip). The pilot was executing a down wind over the lake that parallels the grass strip. He explained that he took the opportunity during the down wind to fly low to show his passengers where the snow was going to be plowed for a runway on the frozen lake. It was at this point when he lost his depth perception and became disoriented due to the snow covered lake, combined with the over cast skies. This resulted in an unexpected landing on the lake and damage to the aircraft when the right landing gear collapsed upon impact. The right wing then impacted the snow, pivoting the aircraft 180 degree. The right wing sustained substantial damage as it buckled at the wing root. The fuselage also sustained damage as evident by deformation of both door frames. The pilot and his three passengers reported no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED SANFORD, MAINE WITH THREE PASSENGERS HEADING FOR LOCKE LAKE AIRPORT AT BARNSTEAD, NEW HAMPSHIRE (GRASS STRIP). THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING A DOWN WIND OVER THE LAKE THAT PARALLELS THE GRASS STRIP. HE EXPLAINED THAT HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THE DOWN WIND TO FLY LOW TO SHOW HIS PASSENGERS WHERE THE SNOW WAS GOING TO BE PLOWED FOR A RUNWAY ON THE FROZEN LAKE. IT WAS AT THIS POINT WHEN HE LOST HIS DEPTH PERCEPTION AND BECAME DISORIENTED DUE TO THE SNOW COVERED LAKE, COMBINED WITH THE OVER CAST SKIES. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNEXPECTED LANDING ON THE LAKE AND DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WHEN THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON IMPACT. THE RIGHT WING THEN IMPACTED THE SNOW, PIVOTING THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREE. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS IT BUCKLED AT THE WING ROOT. THE FUSELAGE ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE AS EVIDENT BY DEFORMATION OF BOTH DOOR FRAMES. THE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.