What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed San Carlos Airport (ksql) for south county (E16). On the departure leg out of ksql witnesses observed the aircraft going through a series of pitch oscillations. Ten seconds later the aircraft was observed exhibiting longitudinal instability. The aircraft then began a roll to the right followed by an application of left rudder. The aircraft was still observed to have a positive rate of climb although now rotating to the left on the vertical axis. The left yawing moment stopped as the aircraft began to roll to the right in a nose high attitude. The roll continued to the right as it entered a steep descending turn. The aircraft impacted a lagoon north of the airport and sank in about twelve feet of water.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SAN CARLOS AIRPORT (KSQL) FOR SOUTH COUNTY (E16). ON THE DEPARTURE LEG OUT OF KSQL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT GOING THROUGH A SERIES OF PITCH OSCILLATIONS. TEN SECONDS LATER THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED EXHIBITING LONGITUDINAL INSTABILITY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A ROLL TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWED BY AN APPLICATION OF LEFT RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL OBSERVED TO HAVE A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB ALTHOUGH NOW ROTATING TO THE LEFT ON THE VERTICAL AXIS. THE LEFT YAWING MOMENT STOPPED AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE ROLL CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT AS IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENDING TURN. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A LAGOON NORTH OF THE AIRPORT AND SANK IN ABOUT TWELVE FEET OF WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.