What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft engine shutdown during flight at about 1500 feet. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and subsequently ditched the aircraft in the east sound about 300 feet off Orcas Island. The pilot reported av-gas 100LL fuel levels were at full. During the week following the wreck, the owner reports he was unable to recover the aircraft for further investigation. Recovery efforts were thwarted due to local tides and current carrying the wreckage into deeper waters. The owner has kept a log of his recovery efforts. Included in the wreckage were the aircraft & pilot logbooks therefore the aircraft & pilot times provided in this report are estimates. Without the wreckage & logbooks the cause of the engine shutdown cannot be determined.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SHUTDOWN DURING FLIGHT AT ABOUT 1500 FEET. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY DITCHED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE EAST SOUND ABOUT 300 FEET OFF ORCAS ISLAND. THE PILOT REPORTED AV-GAS 100LL FUEL LEVELS WERE AT FULL. DURING THE WEEK FOLLOWING THE WRECK, THE OWNER REPORTS HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. RECOVERY EFFORTS WERE THWARTED DUE TO LOCAL TIDES AND CURRENT CARRYING THE WRECKAGE INTO DEEPER WATERS. THE OWNER HAS KEPT A LOG OF HIS RECOVERY EFFORTS. INCLUDED IN THE WRECKAGE WERE THE AIRCRAFT & PILOT LOGBOOKS THEREFORE THE AIRCRAFT & PILOT TIMES PROVIDED IN THIS REPORT ARE ESTIMATES. WITHOUT THE WRECKAGE & LOGBOOKS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN CANNOT BE DETERMINED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.