What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 05/24/02 at approximately 0700 stephen a. donaldson, pilot in command of N79944, a CE-172-K, operating under 14 CFR part 91, conducted a forced landing at lake edison, fresno county, CA. The flight was enroute from reedley, CA to steamboat springs, co in VMC at 11,000 feet when the engine sputtered and began to lose power. The pilot attempted to regain normal power by manipulating the throttle, mixture control, and carburetor heat valve, which was unsuccessful. The aircraft landed nose low on the north shore of lake edison causing substantial damage. The aircraft came to rest approximately 30 feet of the initial point of impact.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 05/24/02 AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 STEPHEN A. DONALDSON, PILOT IN COMMAND OF N79944, A CE-172-K, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING AT LAKE EDISON, FRESNO COUNTY, CA. THE FLIGHT WAS ENROUTE FROM REEDLEY, CA TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO IN VMC AT 11,000 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN NORMAL POWER BY MANIPULATING THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE CONTROL, AND CARBURETOR HEAT VALVE, WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED NOSE LOW ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE EDISON CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET OF THE INITIAL POINT OF IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.