Accident Overview
A pilot, accompanied by his children as passengers, was returning to his departure airport after a local pleasure flight. Upon re-entering the traffic pattern for Runway 22, the pilot decided to perform a go-around during the final approach, citing that he "didn't like the way things looked."
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that the aircraft initially responded normally and began to climb. However, immediately after metering off the flaps, the engine began to vibrate "grossly out-of-balance." The pilot initiated emergency procedures, but the loss of power and altitude continued. The pilot considered a lake landing but deemed it "very suspect due to lack of altitude." He reviewed the area for alternatives but found none.
The aircraft subsequently struck the top of a large tree and then contacted a smaller tree before descending into the lake. The pilot and passengers were able to exit the aircraft before it sank. The aircraft remained submerged for over 20 hours before being recovered from the lake.
Post-Accident Inspection
Following recovery, a subsequent engine run-up was accomplished satisfactorily, indicating no apparent mechanical failure during the ground test.