What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot departed the Ely, MN airport (elo) on a sightseeing flight with his wife.
He decided to conduct a few practice landings on shagwa lake, just north of Ely, MN.
His first landing attempt went very well. He then departed the lake to the southeast to return for another practice landining.
The second landing attempt was initially going as well as the first. After the aircraft had touched down on the water for about 3 seconds, it tilted hard to the left and began to track (steer) to the left.
The pilot doesn't remember specifically what happened next, but believes the aircraft nose impacted the water and the aircraft then rolled about 90 degrees to the left and began filling with water.
He helped his wife out of her seat belt and then he and his wife exited the aircraft through the right door where they sat on the float, awating rescue.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT DEPARTED THE ELY, MN AIRPORT (ELO) ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH HIS WIFE.
HE DECIDED TO CONDUCT A FEW PRACTICE LANDINGS ON SHAGWA LAKE, JUST NORTH OF ELY, MN.
HIS FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT WENT VERY WELL. HE THEN DEPARTED THE LAKE TO THE SOUTHEAST TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER PRACTICE LANDINING.
THE SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT WAS INITIALLY GOING AS WELL AS THE FIRST. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WATER FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS, IT TILTED HARD TO THE LEFT AND BEGAN TO TRACK (STEER) TO THE LEFT.
THE PILOT DOESN'T REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, BUT BELIEVES THE AIRCRAFT NOSE IMPACTED THE WATER AND THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND BEGAN FILLING WITH WATER.
HE HELPED HIS WIFE OUT OF HER SEAT BELT AND THEN HE AND HIS WIFE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE RIGHT DOOR WHERE THEY SAT ON THE FLOAT, AWATING RESCUE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.