What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The morning of 16 jun 2024, privacy data omitteda 1947 Aeronca model 7AC serial number 7AC-7094 departed bxm. After approximately 45 minutes of flight the aircraft was heading northbound following the androscoggin river approximately 3 miles nw of the interstate 295 bridge crossing. The pilot made a climbing right hand 180-degree turn. During the turn pilot heard engine RPM reducing, followed by rough operation and loss of thrust. The engine continued to idle but was producing no power. Pilot determined ditching in the river was the safest option. During descent, pilot attempted to regain power by adjusting carb heat and throttle position but was unable. Pilot observed kayakers on the river and maneuvered to avoid the hazard. The engine remained running at idle speed during the remainder of the flight. The aircraft impacted the river surface at approximately 1030L coming to rest in a normal attitude and began sinking. The pilot made no emergency communications during descent. The pilot evacuated the cockpit, climbed atop the fuselage, and called emergency services. The kayakers were able to assist the pilot to shore where he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
THE MORNING OF 16 JUN 2024, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^A 1947 AERONCA MODEL 7AC SERIAL NUMBER 7AC-7094 DEPARTED BXM. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES OF FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING NORTHBOUND FOLLOWING THE ANDROSCOGGIN RIVER APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES NW OF THE INTERSTATE 295 BRIDGE CROSSING. THE PILOT MADE A CLIMBING RIGHT HAND 180-DEGREE TURN. DURING THE TURN PILOT HEARD ENGINE RPM REDUCING, FOLLOWED BY ROUGH OPERATION AND LOSS OF THRUST. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO IDLE BUT WAS PRODUCING NO POWER. PILOT DETERMINED DITCHING IN THE RIVER WAS THE SAFEST OPTION. DURING DESCENT, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN POWER BY ADJUSTING CARB HEAT AND THROTTLE POSITION BUT WAS UNABLE. PILOT OBSERVED KAYAKERS ON THE RIVER AND MANEUVERED TO AVOID THE HAZARD. THE ENGINE REMAINED RUNNING AT IDLE SPEED DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RIVER SURFACE AT APPROXIMATELY 1030L COMING TO REST IN A NORMAL ATTITUDE AND BEGAN SINKING. THE PILOT MADE NO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DURING DESCENT. THE PILOT EVACUATED THE COCKPIT, CLIMBED ATOP THE FUSELAGE, AND CALLED EMERGENCY SERVICES. THE KAYAKERS WERE ABLE TO ASSIST THE PILOT TO SHORE WHERE HE WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.