What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot took off from modesto, CA. Continued flight around lake tahoe counterclockwise when the pilot heard and felt a pop leveling off from descent in the vacinity of the town of homewood, CA. The engine RPM dropped from 2300 to 1800RPM and the pilot lost functions of throttle control in the cockpit. The engine was still running. Pilot manipulated fuel mixture and switched fuel tanks to try to improve performance, but it was ineffective. Pilot contacted ATC and declared emergency while performing emergency steps per the checklist. Pilot was unable to make any clear landing areas around his location so the pilot decided to ditch the aircraft in lake tahoe. Boaters in the lake rescued the two occupants.
NTSB is conducting further investigation. Amendments to this -23 will be made once NTSB provides their findings.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT TOOK OFF FROM MODESTO, CA. CONTINUED FLIGHT AROUND LAKE TAHOE COUNTERCLOCKWISE WHEN THE PILOT HEARD AND FELT A POP LEVELING OFF FROM DESCENT IN THE VACINITY OF THE TOWN OF HOMEWOOD, CA. THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED FROM 2300 TO 1800RPM AND THE PILOT LOST FUNCTIONS OF THROTTLE CONTROL IN THE COCKPIT. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. PILOT MANIPULATED FUEL MIXTURE AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS TO TRY TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, BUT IT WAS INEFFECTIVE. PILOT CONTACTED ATC AND DECLARED EMERGENCY WHILE PERFORMING EMERGENCY STEPS PER THE CHECKLIST. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE ANY CLEAR LANDING AREAS AROUND HIS LOCATION SO THE PILOT DECIDED TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT IN LAKE TAHOE. BOATERS IN THE LAKE RESCUED THE TWO OCCUPANTS.
NTSB IS CONDUCTING FURTHER INVESTIGATION. AMENDMENTS TO THIS -23 WILL BE MADE ONCE NTSB PROVIDES THEIR FINDINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.