What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During the interview with the pilot, he stated he flew from Troutdale airport (kttd) to pearson field (kuvo) and back to kttd. During a normal approach back into kttd the engine suddenly quit when turning from base to final. The pilot determined that the runway was unreachable and due to power lines and vegetation decided to land in the water near the bank of the columbia river. When the plane came to a stop, he exited the plane and swam to shore. The plane settled in about 7 feet of water. The NTSB is unable to determine this as an accident or incident at this time due to the fact the airplane is submerged in the river and during removal of the aircraft from the river it was cut into smaller pieces. During the pilot interview, he stated that he removed several cups of water from the left fuel tank prior to departing kttd and that he confirmed the quantity of fuel by looking at the wing fuel gages and calculations from the fuel totalizer from the previous trip. He never accurately confirmed the total fuel quantity and estimated 10 gallons per fuel tank. This would conclude either fuel contamination or fuel depletion since he flew both legs on the right fuel tank. Another factor is that there is an eyewitness that said he may have struck a tree top with his right wing during his approach into kuvo airport. There is no evidence of this except a witness report from a pilot waiting to depart at kuvo airport. Waiting for additional information.
As the FAA filed it
DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED HE FLEW FROM TROUTDALE AIRPORT (KTTD) TO PEARSON FIELD (KUVO) AND BACK TO KTTD. DURING A NORMAL APPROACH BACK INTO KTTD THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT WHEN TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL. THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS UNREACHABLE AND DUE TO POWER LINES AND VEGETATION DECIDED TO LAND IN THE WATER NEAR THE BANK OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER. WHEN THE PLANE CAME TO A STOP, HE EXITED THE PLANE AND SWAM TO SHORE. THE PLANE SETTLED IN ABOUT 7 FEET OF WATER. THE NTSB IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THIS AS AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE FACT THE AIRPLANE IS SUBMERGED IN THE RIVER AND DURING REMOVAL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIVER IT WAS CUT INTO SMALLER PIECES. DURING THE PILOT INTERVIEW, HE STATED THAT HE REMOVED SEVERAL CUPS OF WATER FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK PRIOR TO DEPARTING KTTD AND THAT HE CONFIRMED THE QUANTITY OF FUEL BY LOOKING AT THE WING FUEL GAGES AND CALCULATIONS FROM THE FUEL TOTALIZER FROM THE PREVIOUS TRIP. HE NEVER ACCURATELY CONFIRMED THE TOTAL FUEL QUANTITY AND ESTIMATED 10 GALLONS PER FUEL TANK. THIS WOULD CONCLUDE EITHER FUEL CONTAMINATION OR FUEL DEPLETION SINCE HE FLEW BOTH LEGS ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THAT THERE IS AN EYEWITNESS THAT SAID HE MAY HAVE STRUCK A TREE TOP WITH HIS RIGHT WING DURING HIS APPROACH INTO KUVO AIRPORT. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THIS EXCEPT A WITNESS REPORT FROM A PILOT WAITING TO DEPART AT KUVO AIRPORT. WAITING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.