What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Piltot w/ one passenger aboard attempted to depart 1st lake. At the time of the accident, wind conditions were light, the water conditions were calm, the density altitude was high, and the aircraft was loaded near (and possibly in excess of (tbd)) max. Gross weight. After leaving the surface of the water, the aircraft climbed slowly, failing to reach an altitude that would allow the aircraft to clear trees ahead along the flight path. The pilot attempted a sharp turn (high degree of bank) to avoid the obstacles. The aircraft appears to have stalled, rolled, and descended nearly vertically, impacting the ground. The pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
PILTOT W/ ONE PASSENGER ABOARD ATTEMPTED TO DEPART 1ST LAKE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, WIND CONDITIONS WERE LIGHT, THE WATER CONDITIONS WERE CALM, THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS HIGH, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED NEAR (AND POSSIBLY IN EXCESS OF (TBD)) MAX. GROSS WEIGHT. AFTER LEAVING THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED SLOWLY, FAILING TO REACH AN ALTITUDE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE AIRCRAFT TO CLEAR TREES AHEAD ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A SHARP TURN (HIGH DEGREE OF BANK) TO AVOID THE OBSTACLES. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE STALLED, ROLLED, AND DESCENDED NEARLY VERTICALLY, IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED, AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR 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.