What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At about 1327 EDT, the aircraft was on an IFR flight from kroc to danbury, CT at 5,000 feet altitude in IMC conditions and just cleared the east shore of cuyuga lake when both engines began to surge and lose power. The pilot's GPS advised that the nearest airport was penn yan, NY (peo) and a 180 degree turnback to the west was initiated. The aircraft was put into a descent and upon breaking out of the clouds at 4,000 feet, it was apparent that penn yan was not reachable. The pilot set up a middle-of-the-lake approach for ditching in a freshwater lake (seneca lake). The ditching was successful and the pilot opened the emergency window and exited the aircraft, inflated his life raft and entered the raft. The aircraft sunk below the waterline within one to two minutes. The pilot was picked up by pleasure boaters and taken to shore. It is estimated that the ditching took place in an area of the lake that is 600 feet deep.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT ABOUT 1327 EDT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT FROM KROC TO DANBURY, CT AT 5,000 FEET ALTITUDE IN IMC CONDITIONS AND JUST CLEARED THE EAST SHORE OF CUYUGA LAKE WHEN BOTH ENGINES BEGAN TO SURGE AND LOSE POWER. THE PILOT'S GPS ADVISED THAT THE NEAREST AIRPORT WAS PENN YAN, NY (PEO) AND A 180 DEGREE TURNBACK TO THE WEST WAS INITIATED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PUT INTO A DESCENT AND UPON BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 4,000 FEET, IT WAS APPARENT THAT PENN YAN WAS NOT REACHABLE. THE PILOT SET UP A MIDDLE-OF-THE-LAKE APPROACH FOR DITCHING IN A FRESHWATER LAKE (SENECA LAKE). THE DITCHING WAS SUCCESSFUL AND THE PILOT OPENED THE EMERGENCY WINDOW AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, INFLATED HIS LIFE RAFT AND ENTERED THE RAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUNK BELOW THE WATERLINE WITHIN ONE TO TWO MINUTES. THE PILOT WAS PICKED UP BY PLEASURE BOATERS AND TAKEN TO SHORE. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE DITCHING TOOK PLACE IN AN AREA OF THE LAKE THAT IS 600 FEET DEEP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.