What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed AZ90 and proceeded east toward camelback mountain. During flight, the pilot heard a metallic “ting” sound and observed the engine RPM indicating maximum RPM. While attempting to regain propeller control, a rear-seat passenger reported smoke coming from the left side of the engine compartment. The pilot confirmed the presence of smoke and observed a loss of engine power.
The pilot initially turned toward Phoenix sky harbor airport; however, it became apparent that regaining engine power was not possible. As the aircraft continued losing altitude, the pilot advised the passengers of the impending off-airport landing and began selecting a suitable landing site.
The pilot identified privacy data omitted as the most suitable landing area and committed to landing there. In accordance with the aircraft flight manual procedures for off-airport landings, the aircraft was configured with the landing gear retracted. During final approach, the pilot maneuvered to avoid power lines and roadway fixtures while maintaining aircraft control and approach speed.
The aircraft landed on privacy data omitted and came to rest along the east curb. During the landing rollout, the left wingtip and left float contacted a water valve and the leading edge of the left wing contacted vegetation adjacent to the roadway.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AZ90 AND PROCEEDED EAST TOWARD CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN. DURING FLIGHT, THE PILOT HEARD A METALLIC “TING” SOUND AND OBSERVED THE ENGINE RPM INDICATING MAXIMUM RPM. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN PROPELLER CONTROL, A REAR-SEAT PASSENGER REPORTED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PILOT CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF SMOKE AND OBSERVED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
THE PILOT INITIALLY TURNED TOWARD PHOENIX SKY HARBOR AIRPORT; HOWEVER, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT REGAINING ENGINE POWER WAS NOT POSSIBLE. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED LOSING ALTITUDE, THE PILOT ADVISED THE PASSENGERS OF THE IMPENDING OFF-AIRPORT LANDING AND BEGAN SELECTING A SUITABLE LANDING SITE.
THE PILOT IDENTIFIED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS THE MOST SUITABLE LANDING AREA AND COMMITTED TO LANDING THERE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL PROCEDURES FOR OFF-AIRPORT LANDINGS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. DURING FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO AVOID POWER LINES AND ROADWAY FIXTURES WHILE MAINTAINING AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND APPROACH SPEED.
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND CAME TO REST ALONG THE EAST CURB. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE LEFT WINGTIP AND LEFT FLOAT CONTACTED A WATER VALVE AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING CONTACTED VEGETATION ADJACENT TO THE ROADWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.