What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft experienced carburator ice on descent and lost power. (.19) on December 4, 1998, at 1225 central standard time (CST), an American champion 8GCBC, N395AC, operated by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when during cruise flight the airplane's engine lost power. During the subsequent forced landing to a lake, the airplane skipped off of the water and impacted into trees which lined the shore. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The cross-country flight originated at Rochester, Indiana, and was en route to Rochester, Wisconsin. (-23) on 12-04-98 at approx. 12:10 local time an American champion 8GCBC, N395AC piloted by commercial pilot larry brian tague cert no. 277509737 on descent to "fox river airport" (designator 96C) experienced a loss of engine RPM after power reduction was made. Carburetor heat was applied but the pilot reported he was unable to maintain altitude and elected to attempt to land in a small lake (rockland lake). The aircraft landed on the lake but the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft before it contacted the trees an d debris on the shore. The aircraft sustained substantial damage as a result of contact with trees and brush. The pilot was the sole occupant of the aircraft and did not sustain any injuries. This report is considered closed.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT EXPERIENCED CARBURATOR ICE ON DESCENT AND LOST POWER. (.19) ON DECEMBER 4, 1998, AT 1225 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST), AN AMERICAN CHAMPION 8GCBC, N395AC, OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING TO A LAKE, THE AIRPLANE SKIPPED OFF OF THE WATER AND IMPACTED INTO TREES WHICH LINED THE SHORE. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN ON FILE. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT ROCHESTER, INDIANA, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO ROCHESTER, WISCONSIN. (-23) ON 12-04-98 AT APPROX. 12:10 LOCAL TIME AN AMERICAN CHAMPION 8GCBC, N395AC PILOTED BY COMMERCIAL PILOT LARRY BRIAN TAGUE CERT NO. 277509737 ON DESCENT TO "FOX RIVER AIRPORT" (DESIGNATOR 96C) EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE RPM AFTER POWER REDUCTION WAS MADE. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED BUT THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO LAND IN A SMALL LAKE (ROCKLAND LAKE). THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE LAKE BUT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT CONTACTED THE TREES AN D DEBRIS ON THE SHORE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF CONTACT WITH TREES AND BRUSH. THE PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THIS REPORT IS CONSIDERED CLOSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.