What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The flight departed at 0909 with 40 gallons of fuel. After about 2.2 hours of flight time the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The aircraft was flying westbound along the san juan river gorge. The pilot was unable to locate a suitable landing site for a forced landing and executed a ditching during which the aircraft nosed over and then sank. The pilot described the power loss as a reduction of RPM and a 'popping and backfiring and shuddering worse and worse all the way down.' Attempts to trouble shoot and correct the situation were unsuccessful. The aircraft sank in deep water and was not recovered.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE FLIGHT DEPARTED AT 0909 WITH 40 GALLONS OF FUEL. AFTER ABOUT 2.2 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING WESTBOUND ALONG THE SAN JUAN RIVER GORGE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A SUITABLE LANDING SITE FOR A FORCED LANDING AND EXECUTED A DITCHING DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND THEN SANK. THE PILOT DESCRIBED THE POWER LOSS AS A REDUCTION OF RPM AND A 'POPPING AND BACKFIRING AND SHUDDERING WORSE AND WORSE ALL THE WAY DOWN.' ATTEMPTS TO TROUBLE SHOOT AND CORRECT THE SITUATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN DEEP WATER AND WAS NOT RECOVERED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.