What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 20, 2026, at approximately 0800 local time, a rans S-6S aircraft (registration N528MW) was attempting a water takeoff from lake seymour in Morgan, VT, during glassy water conditions. The pilot reported the engine appeared to be producing slightly less power than normal. After multiple unsuccessful takeoff attempts, the pilot applied excessive back pressure to the flight controls, causing the aircraft to lift off the water approximately 6 to 12 inches at an insufficient airspeed. The aircraft subsequently entered an aerodynamic stall, resulting in the nose and left wing dropping. The left float impacted the water in a nose-low attitude and separated from the airframe, striking and damaging the outer underside of the left wing. The right float also impacted the water nose-low and bent upward, resulting in a propeller strike that severed both propeller blades. The aircraft remained upright but sank in over 100 feet of water. The pilot egressed without injury and was rescued by local boaters.
This investigation remains ongoing.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 20, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 LOCAL TIME, A RANS S-6S AIRCRAFT (REGISTRATION N528MW) WAS ATTEMPTING A WATER TAKEOFF FROM LAKE SEYMOUR IN MORGAN, VT, DURING GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE PRODUCING SLIGHTLY LESS POWER THAN NORMAL. AFTER MULTIPLE UNSUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF ATTEMPTS, THE PILOT APPLIED EXCESSIVE BACK PRESSURE TO THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LIFT OFF THE WATER APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 12 INCHES AT AN INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED AN AERODYNAMIC STALL, RESULTING IN THE NOSE AND LEFT WING DROPPING. THE LEFT FLOAT IMPACTED THE WATER IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME, STRIKING AND DAMAGING THE OUTER UNDERSIDE OF THE LEFT WING. THE RIGHT FLOAT ALSO IMPACTED THE WATER NOSE-LOW AND BENT UPWARD, RESULTING IN A PROPELLER STRIKE THAT SEVERED BOTH PROPELLER BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT BUT SANK IN OVER 100 FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT EGRESSED WITHOUT INJURY AND WAS RESCUED BY LOCAL BOATERS.
THIS INVESTIGATION REMAINS ONGOING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.