What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed keqy on a sightseeing flight. After climbing up and departing the traffic pattern, the pilot and his passenger decided to descend to 1,600 ft and to follow the catawba river. Upon reaching 1,600 ft, the pilot increased the throttle, but the engine did not respond. The pilot completed engine failure procedures with no resulting changes. The pilot elected to perform an off-airport landing in the river. Shortly after touching down in the river, the aircraft encountered a sandbar, which caused the aircraft to flip inverted. Weather conditions at the time were light winds, 10 sm visibility, clear skies, temperature 11 degrees c, and approximately 80% humidity.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KEQY ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. AFTER CLIMBING UP AND DEPARTING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER DECIDED TO DESCEND TO 1,600 FT AND TO FOLLOW THE CATAWBA RIVER. UPON REACHING 1,600 FT, THE PILOT INCREASED THE THROTTLE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT COMPLETED ENGINE FAILURE PROCEDURES WITH NO RESULTING CHANGES. THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN THE RIVER. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHING DOWN IN THE RIVER, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A SANDBAR, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP INVERTED. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE LIGHT WINDS, 10 SM VISIBILITY, CLEAR SKIES, TEMPERATURE 11 DEGREES C, AND APPROXIMATELY 80% HUMIDITY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.