What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft was making a 25 minute flight form 1A6, middlesboro, KY to kdkx, Downtown Island airport, Knoxville, TN. The aircraft lost power on the base leg to rwy 26, the pilot used the wobble pump to keep the engine running. The engine quit while on final. When the pilot determined that they were not going to make the runway, he elected to ditch in the Tennessee river. He received minor injuries. The passenger was uninjured and they evacuated the aircraft. It remained afloat for 1 minute and sunk in the main river channel of the Tennessee river. The pilot and passenger swam to shore. Further investigation will be necessary for the determination of the power loss. The investigation showed that the probable cause was fuel starvation. The fuel gauge was selected for the right tank and the fuel selector was on the left tank.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING A 25 MINUTE FLIGHT FORM 1A6, MIDDLESBORO, KY TO KDKX, DOWNTOWN ISLAND AIRPORT, KNOXVILLE, TN. THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER ON THE BASE LEG TO RWY 26, THE PILOT USED THE WOBBLE PUMP TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE ON FINAL. WHEN THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY, HE ELECTED TO DITCH IN THE TENNESSEE RIVER. HE RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PASSENGER WAS UNINJURED AND THEY EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT. IT REMAINED AFLOAT FOR 1 MINUTE AND SUNK IN THE MAIN RIVER CHANNEL OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SWAM TO SHORE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE POWER LOSS. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE WAS FUEL STARVATION. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS SELECTED FOR THE RIGHT TANK AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.