What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot stated he was the PIC for an instrument familiarization flight with a student. They were simulating an instrument approach into tangier island (ktgi). They were approximately halfway across the bay and received instruction from norfolk approach control to descend from 5500 ft to 2500 ft for military activity in the moa. While cruising at 2500 ft, the pilot noticed the engine was running rough and added some power. This resolved the issue for a few minutes. The engine began running rough again. The second time he added power the engine stopped running. The pilot stated that the propeller locked in place and was not turning with the wind. The pilot stated the aircraft had plenty of fuel and everything was within normal parameters. He pitched the aircraft for best glide speed and declared an emergency. He said his best option for landing was behind him and made a 180 turn back toward the shore. He went through his emergency restart procedures multiple times and could not get the aircraft restarted. He noticed a boat in the water and attempted to ditch as close to the boat as possible. He completed the emergency procedures for a water landing and ditched the aircraft approximately 2 miles southwest of wolf trap lighthouse. The boat captain marked the coordinates of the crash when he was picking up the pilots.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS THE PIC FOR AN INSTRUMENT FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT WITH A STUDENT. THEY WERE SIMULATING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH INTO TANGIER ISLAND (KTGI). THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY ACROSS THE BAY AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTION FROM NORFOLK APPROACH CONTROL TO DESCEND FROM 5500 FT TO 2500 FT FOR MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THE MOA. WHILE CRUISING AT 2500 FT, THE PILOT NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND ADDED SOME POWER. THIS RESOLVED THE ISSUE FOR A FEW MINUTES. THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME HE ADDED POWER THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PROPELLER LOCKED IN PLACE AND WAS NOT TURNING WITH THE WIND. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT HAD PLENTY OF FUEL AND EVERYTHING WAS WITHIN NORMAL PARAMETERS. HE PITCHED THE AIRCRAFT FOR BEST GLIDE SPEED AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HE SAID HIS BEST OPTION FOR LANDING WAS BEHIND HIM AND MADE A 180 TURN BACK TOWARD THE SHORE. HE WENT THROUGH HIS EMERGENCY RESTART PROCEDURES MULTIPLE TIMES AND COULD NOT GET THE AIRCRAFT RESTARTED. HE NOTICED A BOAT IN THE WATER AND ATTEMPTED TO DITCH AS CLOSE TO THE BOAT AS POSSIBLE. HE COMPLETED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR A WATER LANDING AND DITCHED THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WOLF TRAP LIGHTHOUSE. THE BOAT CAPTAIN MARKED THE COORDINATES OF THE CRASH WHEN HE WAS PICKING UP THE PILOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.