What happened
During a night flight in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions, the pilot was positioned approximately 20 miles northeast of Milwaukee when he notified Milwaukee Approach that the engine had quit. Following the loss of power, the pilot was able to glide for approximately 12 miles before the aircraft impacted the water.
The aircraft and the body of the pilot were recovered roughly two months after the accident occurred.
The investigation
Investigators examined the engine-driven fuel pump and discovered that a 3/4 inch rubber washer was obstructing the fuel flow through the pump's outflow valve.
Records indicated that Airworthiness Directive (AD) 93-11-11 required the replacement of this remanufactured fuel pump prior to the next flight to prevent engine power loss caused by disrupted fuel flow. The investigation determined that compliance with this AD had not been met.