What happened
During a cross-country flight traveling from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Laconia, New Hampshire, the aircraft experienced a total power failure. According to the passenger, the engine failed immediately after the pilot disconnected the autopilot. Despite several attempts by the pilot to restart the engine, all efforts were unsuccessful.
The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing in Lake Winnipesaukee, located in Alton, New Hampshire. Following the impact, the passenger and the pilot climbed out onto the wing of the aircraft and attempted to swim to the shore. Upon reaching the shore, the passenger was unable to locate the pilot. The pilot remained missing following the incident.
The investigation
The aircraft was located and recovered one week after the accident and moved to a hangar in Alton, New Hampshire, for inspection. Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that there was appropriate fuel on board and no evidence of fuel contamination. Furthermore, the engine was successfully restarted during testing and performed satisfactorily. No anomalies were identified regarding the engine or the airframe.