What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was on an air tour flight with two passengers on board approximately 1500 ft MSL over lake travis in Austin Texas. Aircraft engine began to sputter for a few seconds then came back to life. Pilot analized cockpit instruments and found all normal. Engine sputtered again and lost RPM. Aircraft lost altitude and pilot ultimately made the decision to ditch aircraft into lake. Upon ditching, aircraft flipped over and sank with all three occupants in a matter of seconds. Both passengers and pilot escaped and were rescued almost immediately from boats and jet skis nearby.
Aircraft rested on bottom of lake approximately 45 feet deep about 100 yards from shore. Aircraft was retrieved 5 days later by a local wreckage retrieval company. FAA was present during retrieval but could not board the aircraft to inspect cockpit area.
It was determined from pilots statement aircraft fuel load was approximately 37 gallons on board at time of crash however pilot failed to confirm fuel selector was set to proper position. Photographs taken by divers revealed right fuel selector handle was in the closed position at time aircraft was retrieved. NTSB has not determined or concluded actual cause of engine failure. Aircraft was moved to air salvage of dallas for further investigation. This report will be amended upon completion of engine analysis.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS ON AN AIR TOUR FLIGHT WITH TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD APPROXIMATELY 1500 FT MSL OVER LAKE TRAVIS IN AUSTIN TEXAS. AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN CAME BACK TO LIFE. PILOT ANALIZED COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS AND FOUND ALL NORMAL. ENGINE SPUTTERED AGAIN AND LOST RPM. AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND PILOT ULTIMATELY MADE THE DECISION TO DITCH AIRCRAFT INTO LAKE. UPON DITCHING, AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND SANK WITH ALL THREE OCCUPANTS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. BOTH PASSENGERS AND PILOT ESCAPED AND WERE RESCUED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FROM BOATS AND JET SKIS NEARBY.
AIRCRAFT RESTED ON BOTTOM OF LAKE APPROXIMATELY 45 FEET DEEP ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM SHORE. AIRCRAFT WAS RETRIEVED 5 DAYS LATER BY A LOCAL WRECKAGE RETRIEVAL COMPANY. FAA WAS PRESENT DURING RETRIEVAL BUT COULD NOT BOARD THE AIRCRAFT TO INSPECT COCKPIT AREA.
IT WAS DETERMINED FROM PILOTS STATEMENT AIRCRAFT FUEL LOAD WAS APPROXIMATELY 37 GALLONS ON BOARD AT TIME OF CRASH HOWEVER PILOT FAILED TO CONFIRM FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO PROPER POSITION. PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY DIVERS REVEALED RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS IN THE CLOSED POSITION AT TIME AIRCRAFT WAS RETRIEVED. NTSB HAS NOT DETERMINED OR CONCLUDED ACTUAL CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE. AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO AIR SALVAGE OF DALLAS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED UPON COMPLETION OF ENGINE ANALYSIS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.