What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated after takeoff from glassy water conditions, a positive rate of climb was established and he began retracting manual flaps. When doing so the aircraft settled back to the surface of water. The initial drag of the floats contacting the glassy surface shoved his body forward into the control yoke. At full power and 60+ miles per hour, the aircraft immediately flipped over, submerging the occupants. Pilot stated he may not have realized how close he was to the water based off its glassy appearance and may have retracted the flaps prematurely. He attributes wearing four point harnesses to his and passenger's survival.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS, A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB WAS ESTABLISHED AND HE BEGAN RETRACTING MANUAL FLAPS. WHEN DOING SO THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK TO THE SURFACE OF WATER. THE INITIAL DRAG OF THE FLOATS CONTACTING THE GLASSY SURFACE SHOVED HIS BODY FORWARD INTO THE CONTROL YOKE. AT FULL POWER AND 60+ MILES PER HOUR, THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY FLIPPED OVER, SUBMERGING THE OCCUPANTS. PILOT STATED HE MAY NOT HAVE REALIZED HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO THE WATER BASED OFF ITS GLASSY APPEARANCE AND MAY HAVE RETRACTED THE FLAPS PREMATURELY. HE ATTRIBUTES WEARING FOUR POINT HARNESSES TO HIS AND PASSENGER'S SURVIVAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3576D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.