What happened
During an on-demand air taxi flight carrying four passengers, the pilot encountered weather conditions consisting of 4,000 to 5,000 feet overcast, 10 miles of visibility, and temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees F. The environment included rain showers below 2,000 feet and snow showers above 2,000 feet.
While performing a left turn from the base leg to the final approach heading at the destination airport, the engine began to sputter. The pilot checked the instrument panel and confirmed no caution lights were illuminated. After verifying that the fuel selector was set to the right wing tip tank, the pilot applied carburetor heat, which resulted in the loss of almost all engine power.
At approximately 200 feet above the ground, the pilot identified an emergency landing area on a riverbank located short of the landing threshold. During the subsequent ground collision, the landing gear were sheared off and the left wing buckled. There were no injuries to the pilot or the four passengers.
The investigation
A postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical malfunctions occurring prior to the impact.