What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that he was making a routine landing on a familiar lake called Guller Lake. The flight took place around 0100 AKDT at dusk. The pilot stated that there was an overcast layer that produced a flat light condition and with the limited wind the water was smooth. With the combination and flat light and glossy smooth water it was hard for the pilot to judge his depth perception to the water. The pilot stated that this was the primary causal factor which created the accident. The pilot was able to extract himself from the aircraft and sustained no injuries.
A CA counseling event took place with the inspector and pilot to come up with a risk-based decision making model to prevent this from occurring in the future. See ptrs# 201803624
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS MAKING A ROUTINE LANDING ON A FAMILIAR LAKE CALLED GULLER LAKE. THE FLIGHT TOOK PLACE AROUND 0100 AKDT AT DUSK. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN OVERCAST LAYER THAT PRODUCED A FLAT LIGHT CONDITION AND WITH THE LIMITED WIND THE WATER WAS SMOOTH. WITH THE COMBINATION AND FLAT LIGHT AND GLOSSY SMOOTH WATER IT WAS HARD FOR THE PILOT TO JUDGE HIS DEPTH PERCEPTION TO THE WATER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE PRIMARY CAUSAL FACTOR WHICH CREATED THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXTRACT HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.
A CA COUNSELING EVENT TOOK PLACE WITH THE INSPECTOR AND PILOT TO COME UP WITH A RISK-BASED DECISION MAKING MODEL TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE. SEE PTRS# 201803624
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.