What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 6/30/2022 privacy data omitted, a BE36, departed kobi enroute to kbed VFR at 7000 feet. At approximately 30 minutes into the flight, the airman stated he changed fuel tanks. Approximately 37 minutes into the flight near khvn airport, the airman stated he "felt a jolt in the engine, and the power went to idle". He stated he attempted to move the throttle and check his mixture, however the aircraft was losing altitude rapidly. The airman called ATC and declared engine trouble and looked for landing clearance to khvn. The airman stated he was losing altitude too fast and had to prepare to land in the quinnipiac river.
The airman kept his gear up for landing and landed upright in a shallow water bed. One pilot, 1 non pilot pax, 1 dog on board self egressed, no injuries.
Aircraft maintenance manuals, POH and aircraft logbooks were recovered, however severely saturated from being submerged in the tail section of the aircraft.
The aircraft had minor damage including propeller damage and scratching and dings under both wings. The frame is also crumpled in multiple areas post landing. No flight control structures were damaged. The aircraft was submerged overnight, but this does not factor into classifying this into an accident with maximum damange.
As the FAA filed it
ON 6/30/2022 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A BE36, DEPARTED KOBI ENROUTE TO KBED VFR AT 7000 FEET. AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE AIRMAN STATED HE CHANGED FUEL TANKS. APPROXIMATELY 37 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT NEAR KHVN AIRPORT, THE AIRMAN STATED HE "FELT A JOLT IN THE ENGINE, AND THE POWER WENT TO IDLE". HE STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE THROTTLE AND CHECK HIS MIXTURE, HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE RAPIDLY. THE AIRMAN CALLED ATC AND DECLARED ENGINE TROUBLE AND LOOKED FOR LANDING CLEARANCE TO KHVN. THE AIRMAN STATED HE WAS LOSING ALTITUDE TOO FAST AND HAD TO PREPARE TO LAND IN THE QUINNIPIAC RIVER.
THE AIRMAN KEPT HIS GEAR UP FOR LANDING AND LANDED UPRIGHT IN A SHALLOW WATER BED. ONE PILOT, 1 NON PILOT PAX, 1 DOG ON BOARD SELF EGRESSED, NO INJURIES.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE MANUALS, POH AND AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS WERE RECOVERED, HOWEVER SEVERELY SATURATED FROM BEING SUBMERGED IN THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
THE AIRCRAFT HAD MINOR DAMAGE INCLUDING PROPELLER DAMAGE AND SCRATCHING AND DINGS UNDER BOTH WINGS. THE FRAME IS ALSO CRUMPLED IN MULTIPLE AREAS POST LANDING. NO FLIGHT CONTROL STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBMERGED OVERNIGHT, BUT THIS DOES NOT FACTOR INTO CLASSIFYING THIS INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH MAXIMUM DAMANGE.