What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 1, 2026 at approx 1730 the mishap aircraft made an emergency, controlled water ditching into a local reservoir.
The pilot arrived at orange municipal airport (ore) at approximately 1600. The intention of the flight was to be a currency / proficiency flight. The aircraft was last fueled, 25 gallons, in October 2025. The aircraft had last flown on October 25, 2025 and had remained hangared since that date.
The aircraft proceeded thru start, taxi, and takeoff without reported abnormalities. The pilot maintained a 90 mph climb to 1700' MSL. Approximately 2 minutes from the airport he executed a 180 degree turn back to the field. While in straight and level flight at approximately 1700' MSL headed back to enter the pattern, the engine failed without indication or audible cues. The aircraft was configured for best glide speed, and a restart was attempted to no effect. There were no available fields due to heavily forested area. A local roadway route was also not viable due to its shape, encroaching canopy, power lines, and time of day. The pilot executed a controlled, configured water ditching. The pilot egressed the aircraft and was able to swim to shore with only minor injuries repored.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 1, 2026 AT APPROX 1730 THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY, CONTROLLED WATER DITCHING INTO A LOCAL RESERVOIR.
THE PILOT ARRIVED AT ORANGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (ORE) AT APPROXIMATELY 1600. THE INTENTION OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO BE A CURRENCY / PROFICIENCY FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST FUELED, 25 GALLONS, IN OCTOBER 2025. THE AIRCRAFT HAD LAST FLOWN ON OCTOBER 25, 2025 AND HAD REMAINED HANGARED SINCE THAT DATE.
THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED THRU START, TAXI, AND TAKEOFF WITHOUT REPORTED ABNORMALITIES. THE PILOT MAINTAINED A 90 MPH CLIMB TO 1700' MSL. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT HE EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE FIELD. WHILE IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 1700' MSL HEADED BACK TO ENTER THE PATTERN, THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT INDICATION OR AUDIBLE CUES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR BEST GLIDE SPEED, AND A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED TO NO EFFECT. THERE WERE NO AVAILABLE FIELDS DUE TO HEAVILY FORESTED AREA. A LOCAL ROADWAY ROUTE WAS ALSO NOT VIABLE DUE TO ITS SHAPE, ENCROACHING CANOPY, POWER LINES, AND TIME OF DAY. THE PILOT EXECUTED A CONTROLLED, CONFIGURED WATER DITCHING. THE PILOT EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS ABLE TO SWIM TO SHORE WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES REPORED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.