What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 1800 hrs an 10/08/2021. Pilot took off from runway 16 at shirley williams airport (44TE) to fly over lake lbj. The pilot had flown about 30 minutes when he noticed something floating in the water and turned around to investigate. Pilot stated he made too tight turn to downwind and lost airspeed and lift.
Pilot stated he did not have enough altitude to recover before putting the aircraft in the lake. Pilot also stated while still in a slight right bank, he most likely stalled the aircraft a few feet above the water. Pilot made a hard landing and before he shut down the engine, the floats dug into the water and the high thrustline pusher engine rolled the plane over nose first until it rested upside down in the water.
Pilot also stated the aircraft engine was running fine and was part of the cause of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 HRS AN 10/08/2021. PILOT TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 16 AT SHIRLEY WILLIAMS AIRPORT (44TE) TO FLY OVER LAKE LBJ. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN ABOUT 30 MINUTES WHEN HE NOTICED SOMETHING FLOATING IN THE WATER AND TURNED AROUND TO INVESTIGATE. PILOT STATED HE MADE TOO TIGHT TURN TO DOWNWIND AND LOST AIRSPEED AND LIFT.
PILOT STATED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO RECOVER BEFORE PUTTING THE AIRCRAFT IN THE LAKE. PILOT ALSO STATED WHILE STILL IN A SLIGHT RIGHT BANK, HE MOST LIKELY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT A FEW FEET ABOVE THE WATER. PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING AND BEFORE HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, THE FLOATS DUG INTO THE WATER AND THE HIGH THRUSTLINE PUSHER ENGINE ROLLED THE PLANE OVER NOSE FIRST UNTIL IT RESTED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WATER.
PILOT ALSO STATED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE AND WAS PART OF THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.