Summary
An aircraft experienced an engine failure during arrival following a descent from 10,500 feet to 2,300 feet. The pilot had circled a house three times before turning toward the airport. As the wings were leveled and the pilot prepared to call the airport, the engine lost power. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot conducted a forced landing in a pond. During the approach, the left wing struck a tree, causing the aircraft to spin out of control onto a roadway and into the pond, where it became submerged.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that during the arrival, he descended from 10,500 feet to an altitude of 2,300 feet. After reaching that altitude, he circled a house three times. Subsequently, he turned the aircraft toward the airport. While rolling the wings level and preparing to make a radio call to the airport, the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. With the aircraft unable to maintain flight, the pilot made the decision to perform a forced landing in a nearby pond.
As the aircraft descended toward the pond, the left wing struck a tree. This impact caused the aircraft to spin out of control. The aircraft then struck a roadway and continued into the pond, where it became submerged.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, the fuel gauges indicated that the right fuel tank contained at least one-eighth full, and the left fuel tank was three-eighths full. No further details about fuel management or other systems were provided by the pilot.
Post-Recovery
After the aircraft was recovered from the pond, the engine was started and operated normally. No anomalies were reported during the ground run. The investigation did not identify a mechanical reason for the power loss, and no probable cause was determined in the available information.