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Thanks. Yeah, I am a pilot, got my private ticket (single engine land) in 1972. My dad recently retired from flying after starting out in 1936 at age 13, he's the real pilot in the family.

I haven't flown in awhile, though. Kids and family and work come before scooting around the countryside. I used to be able to justify it for work-related travel, but since I switched jobs in '93 I can't do that any more . . . maybe when the kids start college I'll get back in the air.

Unfortunately, these takeoff accidents are one of the most common, since if there's a problem that's when the engine and airframe are under the greatest stress (and it's also when you have just taken the aircraft out after it's been in the hangar for days or weeks . . . ) All the pilot's magazines have regular sections reporting accidents, hopefully so we can learn from them . . . so we all stay pretty aware of this sort of thing.

I figured that you were a pilot with that excellent info you posted.

Just got back from our 4th of July party and two pilots were at the party. Both are private pilots for CEO's. When they saw the picture and heard that he put the plane into the lake and that it skipped, they both agreed with your thesis. Good Call!