What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
2021-07-07 1145L, N8512LJ, Air tractor AT-802, while performing proficiency flight and practicing water scoop for firefighting left wing tip struck the water.
After 18 days off the PIC was conducting a proficiency flight and practicing water scooping from birch lake. On the first pass of the day the pre-scoop checklist was completed and scoops were cycled on the downwind, they cycled normally. The scoop system was set to auto and 450 gallons was selected (the scoops will automatically retract when the pre-set quantity of water enters the hopper). A normal approach and touchdown onto the water was made and began scooping water. Power was smoothly increased to 4800 lbs. Of torque. After about 10 seconds the scoops retracted and the airplane began to accelerate. As the speed increased the flaps were lowered and the airplane started to feel lighter. The PIC inputted right stick to lift the left float but it did not come up. He then inputted left stick to raise the right float. As the right float came out of the water the aircraft started to turn to the left. Right full rudder and right stick were applied and the load of water was dumped using the drop button on the stick. The nose of the aircraft pitched up slightly and the left wing tip briefly struck the water. At that time the PIC noticed the power had dropped to 2800 lbs. Of torque which was not the power that was set during scooping. Power was increased to 4800-4900 lbs. And the aircraft came out of the water and flew.
Once airborne the flaps were raised and the aircraft climbed to 3000 feet. The PIC then noticed visible damage to the left wing tip. The aircraft flew normally with good response so the decision was made to fly 5 miles back to the fire base at kelo. Aircraft landed without further incident. No injuries and minor damage.
As the FAA filed it
2021-07-07 1145L, N8512LJ, AIR TRACTOR AT-802, WHILE PERFORMING PROFICIENCY FLIGHT AND PRACTICING WATER SCOOP FOR FIREFIGHTING LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE WATER.
AFTER 18 DAYS OFF THE PIC WAS CONDUCTING A PROFICIENCY FLIGHT AND PRACTICING WATER SCOOPING FROM BIRCH LAKE. ON THE FIRST PASS OF THE DAY THE PRE-SCOOP CHECKLIST WAS COMPLETED AND SCOOPS WERE CYCLED ON THE DOWNWIND, THEY CYCLED NORMALLY. THE SCOOP SYSTEM WAS SET TO AUTO AND 450 GALLONS WAS SELECTED (THE SCOOPS WILL AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT WHEN THE PRE-SET QUANTITY OF WATER ENTERS THE HOPPER). A NORMAL APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN ONTO THE WATER WAS MADE AND BEGAN SCOOPING WATER. POWER WAS SMOOTHLY INCREASED TO 4800 LBS. OF TORQUE. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS THE SCOOPS RETRACTED AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. AS THE SPEED INCREASED THE FLAPS WERE LOWERED AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO FEEL LIGHTER. THE PIC INPUTTED RIGHT STICK TO LIFT THE LEFT FLOAT BUT IT DID NOT COME UP. HE THEN INPUTTED LEFT STICK TO RAISE THE RIGHT FLOAT. AS THE RIGHT FLOAT CAME OUT OF THE WATER THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT. RIGHT FULL RUDDER AND RIGHT STICK WERE APPLIED AND THE LOAD OF WATER WAS DUMPED USING THE DROP BUTTON ON THE STICK. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP SLIGHTLY AND THE LEFT WING TIP BRIEFLY STRUCK THE WATER. AT THAT TIME THE PIC NOTICED THE POWER HAD DROPPED TO 2800 LBS. OF TORQUE WHICH WAS NOT THE POWER THAT WAS SET DURING SCOOPING. POWER WAS INCREASED TO 4800-4900 LBS. AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME OUT OF THE WATER AND FLEW.
ONCE AIRBORNE THE FLAPS WERE RAISED AND THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 3000 FEET. THE PIC THEN NOTICED VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING TIP. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW NORMALLY WITH GOOD RESPONSE SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FLY 5 MILES BACK TO THE FIRE BASE AT KELO. AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO INJURIES AND MINOR DAMAGE.