20250911015119A

CONDUCTED AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT ENDED UP DEPLOYING IT CIRRUS AIRFRAME PARACHUTE SYSTEM (CAPS) WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT GOING INTO LAKE MICHIGAN. THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED DURING HIS INTERVIEW AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM MILWAUKEE AIRPORT (KMKE) WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION IN PONTIAC AIRPORT (KPTK) THAT DURING THE CLIMB OUT OVER THE LAKE THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLE SHOOT WHY THE ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINES OIL PRESSURE WAS VERY LOW DUE TO AN UNKNOWN SYSTEM FAILURE. THE PIC MADE THE DECISION TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND AND HEAD TOWARDS THE NEAREST AIRPORT, WHICH WAS RACINE AIRPORT (KRAC). THE ENGINE OF THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED PRODUCING POWER SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TURNED AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY AT 7500 MSL AT THE TIME OF ENGINE FAILURE. THE PIC PUT THE AIRCRAFT IN ITS BEST GLIDE PROFILE, CONTACTED ATC AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PIC DEPLOYED THE CIRRUS AIRFRAME PARACHUTE SYSTEM (CAPS) AROUND 2000 AGL AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED LAKE MICHIGAN SHORTLY AFTER. THE PIC AND TWO PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THEIR LIFE JACKETS AND STOOD ON THE WINGS OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUBMERGED SHORTLY AFTER IT ENTERED THE WATER AND SANK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE. THE COAST GUARD ARRIVED AT THEIR LOCATION AND PULLED EVERYONE OUT OF THE WATER WITHIN 40 MINUTES OF ENTERING THE LAKE. UPON RETURNING TO SHORE ON THE COAST GUARD BOAT, TWO FAA SAFETY INSPECTORS CONDUCTED AN INITIAL INTERVIEW AND GAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION TO THE PIC AND THE TWO PASSENGERS. EVERYONE ABOARD INDICATED THAT THEY WERE NOT INJURED AND GAVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS OF WHAT HAPPENED. A SCHEDULED INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED A FEW DAYS LATER WITH ALL THREE INDIVIDUALS. THE PIC DID PROVIDE HIS CURRENT MEDICAL AND LOGBOOK AS WELL AS A CERTIFICATE FROM FLIGHT SAFETY INTERNATIONAL SHOWING THAT HE JUST COMPLETED HIS 61.157 FLIGHT PROFICIENCY IN JULY OF 2025. I CONTACTED THE FBO AT MILWAUKEE AIRPORT THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RECEIVED FUEL FROM PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED AND THE DAILY CHECKS FOR THE FUEL TRUCK HAD BEEN COMPLETED. THE COAST GUARD INDICATED THAT THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE LAKE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET IN DEPTH, AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RECOVER THE AIRCRAFT. I ALSO CONTACTED THE DÉPARTEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ABOUT POSSIBLE RECOVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND THEY INDICATED THE SAME ISSUE IN THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOO DEEP FOR RECOVERY. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT IS UNRECOVERABLE AND BASED ON THE STATEMENTS GIVEN BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND THE PASSENGERS, IT APPEARS THE PILOT IN COMMAND ACTED CORRECTLY IN IDENTIFYING THE EMERGENCY PRESENTED TO HIM AS WELL AS THE ACTION HE TOOK IN RESPONDING TO THE EMERGENCY WHICH RESULTED IN NO INJURIES DURING THE ACCIDENT. NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED BY THE FAA AND CONSIDER THIS MATTER CLOSED.