What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 1350 on Saturday, August 27, 2011 aircraft N9011T departed devils track lake, MN heading se, winds were from the south to southeast. After lift off from the lake, aircraft climbed to 100 AGL and above the tree top level, was never able to gain airspeed above 60 mph, unable to climb any higher, pilot became concerned about losing landing options and felt he would not be able to clear the higher trees at the south east end of the lake, adjusted flight path to avoid trees at east end of lake over a peninsula dividing the main lake from a small bay. After landing in the bay aircraft float caught something in the water and flipped the aircraft upside down in about 12 inches of water. Everyone evacuated aircraft and walked to a neighboring home to notify authorities. No one was hurt, minor bumps and scrapes.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 1350 ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2011 AIRCRAFT N9011T DEPARTED DEVILS TRACK LAKE, MN HEADING SE, WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST. AFTER LIFT OFF FROM THE LAKE, AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 100 AGL AND ABOVE THE TREE TOP LEVEL, WAS NEVER ABLE TO GAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE 60 MPH, UNABLE TO CLIMB ANY HIGHER, PILOT BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING LANDING OPTIONS AND FELT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CLEAR THE HIGHER TREES AT THE SOUTH EAST END OF THE LAKE, ADJUSTED FLIGHT PATH TO AVOID TREES AT EAST END OF LAKE OVER A PENINSULA DIVIDING THE MAIN LAKE FROM A SMALL BAY. AFTER LANDING IN THE BAY AIRCRAFT FLOAT CAUGHT SOMETHING IN THE WATER AND FLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT UPSIDE DOWN IN ABOUT 12 INCHES OF WATER. EVERYONE EVACUATED AIRCRAFT AND WALKED TO A NEIGHBORING HOME TO NOTIFY AUTHORITIES. NO ONE WAS HURT, MINOR BUMPS AND SCRAPES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.