What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Friday September 6th at approximately 1800 hours pilot and his passenger were attempting to land on Lake cumberland in the vicinity of Nancy KY, east of white oak creek. Shortly after touching the water, the aircraft encountered a wave, (probably caused by a large racing boat, since boat races were being conducted on the Lake that day). The wave approached the aircraft at a 45 degree angle coming toward the pilot side of the aircraft. This wave caused the left wing of the aircraft to rise immediately, and in turn, caused the right wing to lower causing the wing float or sponson to strike the water and subsequently caused the aircraft to flip upside down (co-pilots side first). The pilot stated he felt strong left rudder pedal deflection just prior to being flipped over. Immediately after the accident, (which occurred much further out from shore), both the pilot and the passenger were able to evacuate the aircraft. Some witnesses were able to bring a boat over and tow the aircraft toward the shore. Once reaching an area close to the dock, the aircraft sank to the bottom). The pilot and passenger suffered only minor scrapes and bruises.
As the FAA filed it
ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HOURS PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON LAKE CUMBERLAND IN THE VICINITY OF NANCY KY, EAST OF WHITE OAK CREEK. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHING THE WATER, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A WAVE, (PROBABLY CAUSED BY A LARGE RACING BOAT, SINCE BOAT RACES WERE BEING CONDUCTED ON THE LAKE THAT DAY). THE WAVE APPROACHED THE AIRCRAFT AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE COMING TOWARD THE PILOT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAVE CAUSED THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT TO RISE IMMEDIATELY, AND IN TURN, CAUSED THE RIGHT WING TO LOWER CAUSING THE WING FLOAT OR SPONSON TO STRIKE THE WATER AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP UPSIDE DOWN (CO-PILOTS SIDE FIRST). THE PILOT STATED HE FELT STRONG LEFT RUDDER PEDAL DEFLECTION JUST PRIOR TO BEING FLIPPED OVER. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, (WHICH OCCURRED MUCH FURTHER OUT FROM SHORE), BOTH THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT. SOME WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO BRING A BOAT OVER AND TOW THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD THE SHORE. ONCE REACHING AN AREA CLOSE TO THE DOCK, THE AIRCRAFT SANK TO THE BOTTOM). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUFFERED ONLY MINOR SCRAPES AND BRUISES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.