What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) PIC & several witnesses stated that the acft's engine began "missing" shortly after takeoff. PIC maneuvered the acft back toward the airport, extended the landing gear & deployed flaps to 20 degrees. PIC stated he was on the verge of stalling & realized he had insufficient altitude to return to the runway. PIC stated only other viable option was to ditch in the Higginsville reservoir that is adjacent to the airport. He raised the landing gear & landed in the water, coming to rest near a spillway. As aircraft began to sink by the nose, PIC & his wife egressed throught the rear baggage door. Nearby fishermen responded immediately and assisted the couple out of the water. Acft submerged in about 20 feet of water, and was recovered later in the day. Damage included a bent propeller, lower cowling dents, and minor upper skin wrinkling to the left horizontal stab. Incident # ICE052009025 is closed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PIC & SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ACFT'S ENGINE BEGAN "MISSING" SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. PIC MANEUVERED THE ACFT BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR & DEPLOYED FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES. PIC STATED HE WAS ON THE VERGE OF STALLING & REALIZED HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. PIC STATED ONLY OTHER VIABLE OPTION WAS TO DITCH IN THE HIGGINSVILLE RESERVOIR THAT IS ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT. HE RAISED THE LANDING GEAR & LANDED IN THE WATER, COMING TO REST NEAR A SPILLWAY. AS AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SINK BY THE NOSE, PIC & HIS WIFE EGRESSED THROUGHT THE REAR BAGGAGE DOOR. NEARBY FISHERMEN RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY AND ASSISTED THE COUPLE OUT OF THE WATER. ACFT SUBMERGED IN ABOUT 20 FEET OF WATER, AND WAS RECOVERED LATER IN THE DAY. DAMAGE INCLUDED A BENT PROPELLER, LOWER COWLING DENTS, AND MINOR UPPER SKIN WRINKLING TO THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STAB. INCIDENT # ICE052009025 IS CLOSED.