What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power on approach to opf. Ditched in lake. (.4)the pilot stated that as he descended below 800 feet on approach to land, the engine surged several times and quit. He immediately switched fuel tanks and turned the electric boost pump to the low position. The engine appeared to start momentarily and then quit. He turned the electric boost pump to high and the engine did not respond. He then ditched the aricraft in a lake. After ditching, the aircraft floated for about 10 minutes. Fuel consumption calculations showed that aircraft contained about 3 gallons of fuel at the time of engine failure. No fuel slicks were observed on the surface of the lake by pilot or recovery personnel. After recorery the aircraft was found to contain about 2.5 gallons of fuel. The engine was started and operated to full power. (-23) on April 15, 1998, about 1247 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46-31P, N46SX, registered to an individual, ditched in a lake following loss of engine power at Miami lakes, Florida, while on a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an I nstrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from sarasota, Florida, the same day, about 1145. The pilot stated that while on approach to runway 12 at the Opa Locka Airport, the engine lost power. Attempts to regain engine power were unsuccessful and he ditched the aircraft in a lake.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ON APPROACH TO OPF. DITCHED IN LAKE. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE DESCENDED BELOW 800 FEET ON APPROACH TO LAND, THE ENGINE SURGED SEVERAL TIMES AND QUIT. HE IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP TO THE LOW POSITION. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO START MOMENTARILY AND THEN QUIT. HE TURNED THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP TO HIGH AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE THEN DITCHED THE ARICRAFT IN A LAKE. AFTER DITCHING, THE AIRCRAFT FLOATED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS SHOWED THAT AIRCRAFT CONTAINED ABOUT 3 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE TIME OF ENGINE FAILURE. NO FUEL SLICKS WERE OBSERVED ON THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE BY PILOT OR RECOVERY PERSONNEL. AFTER RECORERY THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN ABOUT 2.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED TO FULL POWER. (-23) ON APRIL 15, 1998, ABOUT 1247 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-46-31P, N46SX, REGISTERED TO AN INDIVIDUAL, DITCHED IN A LAKE FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT MIAMI LAKES, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN I NSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SARASOTA, FLORIDA, THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1145. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 12 AT THE OPA LOCKA AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND HE DITCHED THE AIRCRAFT IN A LAKE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.