What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 2, 2020, N620N, a DCH-2 beaver aircraft powered by a pratt whitney PT-6 turbine engine and equipped with amphibious floats departed Renton Municipal Airport (rnt) at approximately 2000 local time. The pilot indicated that the skies were clear and the visibility was excellent, but a fairly strong and gusty wind from the south was also noted. Pilot stated that during the majority of the flight, he remained within the pattern for runway 16 at Renton Municipal Airport, and at all times were under the control of the Renton airport tower. Since all nine touch and go landings were made to the runway at Renton, each of the landings were conducted with the landing gear down. Pilot elected to both reduce cockpit workload and minimize cycles on the landing gear and hydraulic pump.
Pilot stated that after the ninth touch and go landing at Renton Municipal Airport, the tower controller instructed N620N to extend the down wind leg to accommodate jet traffic. After extending several miles north pilot realized that they are now in close proximity to their home in lake Washington, hence, the decision to proceed home became more practical rather than to continue. Pilot stated that he requested permission from the tower controller at Renton airport to depart the pattern and land on the water. After receiving permission from the control tower, pilot stated that he began to configure the aircraft for a water landing on lake Washington but failed to raise the landing gear. Consequently, during touch down on the water the aircraft nosed over, resulting in a prop strike and sudden engine stoppage. The aircraft remained in a tail-high attitude on the water before ultimately gently coming to rest in an inverted position. Aircraft sustained minor damage and neither of the 2 sob sustained any injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 2, 2020, N620N, A DCH-2 BEAVER AIRCRAFT POWERED BY A PRATT WHITNEY PT-6 TURBINE ENGINE AND EQUIPPED WITH AMPHIBIOUS FLOATS DEPARTED RENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (RNT) AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 LOCAL TIME. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE SKIES WERE CLEAR AND THE VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT, BUT A FAIRLY STRONG AND GUSTY WIND FROM THE SOUTH WAS ALSO NOTED. PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE MAJORITY OF THE FLIGHT, HE REMAINED WITHIN THE PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 16 AT RENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, AND AT ALL TIMES WERE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE RENTON AIRPORT TOWER. SINCE ALL NINE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WERE MADE TO THE RUNWAY AT RENTON, EACH OF THE LANDINGS WERE CONDUCTED WITH THE LANDING GEAR DOWN. PILOT ELECTED TO BOTH REDUCE COCKPIT WORKLOAD AND MINIMIZE CYCLES ON THE LANDING GEAR AND HYDRAULIC PUMP.
PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE NINTH TOUCH AND GO LANDING AT RENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, THE TOWER CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED N620N TO EXTEND THE DOWN WIND LEG TO ACCOMMODATE JET TRAFFIC. AFTER EXTENDING SEVERAL MILES NORTH PILOT REALIZED THAT THEY ARE NOW IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THEIR HOME IN LAKE WASHINGTON, HENCE, THE DECISION TO PROCEED HOME BECAME MORE PRACTICAL RATHER THAN TO CONTINUE. PILOT STATED THAT HE REQUESTED PERMISSION FROM THE TOWER CONTROLLER AT RENTON AIRPORT TO DEPART THE PATTERN AND LAND ON THE WATER. AFTER RECEIVING PERMISSION FROM THE CONTROL TOWER, PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN TO CONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT FOR A WATER LANDING ON LAKE WASHINGTON BUT FAILED TO RAISE THE LANDING GEAR. CONSEQUENTLY, DURING TOUCH DOWN ON THE WATER THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER, RESULTING IN A PROP STRIKE AND SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED IN A TAIL-HIGH ATTITUDE ON THE WATER BEFORE ULTIMATELY GENTLY COMING TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND NEITHER OF THE 2 SOB SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES.