What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to the operator's statement, he was intending to perform taxi tests only with the amphibious aircraft on reeds lake near waseca, MN. While performing a high speed taxi, the aircraft lifted off unintentionally. According to the pilot he had not had any pilot training and was not sure how to operate the aircraft in the air. After lifting off of the water, he unsuccessfully tried to bring the airplane back down on the water. He then tried to steer the aircraft to clear the trees and cut the throttle and attempted a sharp right turn and the aircraft crashed into the lake.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR'S STATEMENT, HE WAS INTENDING TO PERFORM TAXI TESTS ONLY WITH THE AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT ON REEDS LAKE NEAR WASECA, MN. WHILE PERFORMING A HIGH SPEED TAXI, THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF UNINTENTIONALLY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE HAD NOT HAD ANY PILOT TRAINING AND WAS NOT SURE HOW TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT IN THE AIR. AFTER LIFTING OFF OF THE WATER, HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO BRING THE AIRPLANE BACK DOWN ON THE WATER. HE THEN TRIED TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT TO CLEAR THE TREES AND CUT THE THROTTLE AND ATTEMPTED A SHARP RIGHT TURN AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE LAKE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.