What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
07/08/2017 The pilot reported a normal approach to the water was made. Upon making contact with the water, he said the aircraft began to slow normally as it came onto the "step". A sudden moderate to severe gust of wind came from right to the left. He said he immediately inputed right stick to counter, but there was little to no effect, so he applied power and aft stick in order to execute a "go around". At that point, the aircraft flipped over forward and left.
The aircraft came to a stop immediately underwater and upside down. Both occupants egressed from the aircraft uninjured.
07/10/2017 Inspectors brown and kelly drove to Winton, NC. There they met with the hertford county chief deputy ^will liverman ^who escorted them to the aircraft. The aircraft was placed on private property thus the need to have law enforcement escort the inspectors to the aircraft. Once on the scene the inspectors examined the aircraft which was left upside down after it was dragged from the chowan river. The aircraft was substantially damaged and throttle was left in the full power setting with the operating limitations, pink special airworthiness certificate and the aircraft registration from the previous owner still onboard. The registration was torn but the previous owners name was clearly visible.
07/10/2017 Inspectors brown and kelly drove to suffolk, VA to protocom aviation where the aircraft was based. The inspectors met with ^jonathan guibas^ who got the aircraft logbook for review. The aircraft logbook looked to be in order but neither a current registration nor a bill of sale were ever produced.
10/04/2017 The aircraft was determined to be destroyed by the owner's insurance company.
As the FAA filed it
07/08/2017 THE PILOT REPORTED A NORMAL APPROACH TO THE WATER WAS MADE. UPON MAKING CONTACT WITH THE WATER, HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SLOW NORMALLY AS IT CAME ONTO THE "STEP". A SUDDEN MODERATE TO SEVERE GUST OF WIND CAME FROM RIGHT TO THE LEFT. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY INPUTED RIGHT STICK TO COUNTER, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO EFFECT, SO HE APPLIED POWER AND AFT STICK IN ORDER TO EXECUTE A "GO AROUND". AT THAT POINT, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER FORWARD AND LEFT.
THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP IMMEDIATELY UNDERWATER AND UPSIDE DOWN. BOTH OCCUPANTS EGRESSED FROM THE AIRCRAFT UNINJURED.
07/10/2017 INSPECTORS BROWN AND KELLY DROVE TO WINTON, NC. THERE THEY MET WITH THE HERTFORD COUNTY CHIEF DEPUTY ^WILL LIVERMAN ^WHO ESCORTED THEM TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PLACED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THUS THE NEED TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ESCORT THE INSPECTORS TO THE AIRCRAFT. ONCE ON THE SCENE THE INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS LEFT UPSIDE DOWN AFTER IT WAS DRAGGED FROM THE CHOWAN RIVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THROTTLE WAS LEFT IN THE FULL POWER SETTING WITH THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS, PINK SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND THE AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER STILL ONBOARD. THE REGISTRATION WAS TORN BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS NAME WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE.
07/10/2017 INSPECTORS BROWN AND KELLY DROVE TO SUFFOLK, VA TO PROTOCOM AVIATION WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASED. THE INSPECTORS MET WITH ^JONATHAN GUIBAS^ WHO GOT THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK FOR REVIEW. THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK LOOKED TO BE IN ORDER BUT NEITHER A CURRENT REGISTRATION NOR A BILL OF SALE WERE EVER PRODUCED.
10/04/2017 THE AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE DESTROYED BY THE OWNER'S INSURANCE COMPANY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.