Incident Overview
After departing and climbing to a cruise altitude of 1500 feet MSL, the airplane's engine gradually lost power. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing, during which he observed power lines ahead, pulled up abruptly to avoid them, stalled the airplane, and impacted the water.
Altitude and Weather Conditions
The pilot selected the cruising altitude of 1500 feet MSL because of the cloud ceiling. Although he did not indicate his distance from the ceiling, the local airport reported a scattered layer of clouds at 2500 feet.
Forced Landing and Stall
During the forced landing, the pilot saw power lines appear in front of him. He performed an abrupt pull-up to avoid the wires. This maneuver caused the airplane to stall, and it subsequently impacted the water.
Engine Examination
A subsequent examination of the engine did not find a reason for the power loss. The ambient surface conditions were not conducive to carburetor icing.