Accident Details
On July 1, 2023, at about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, registration N4586R, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Tahoe, California. The pilot sustained no injuries, while the passenger received serious injuries. The aircraft was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight.
Flight Sequence
The pilot reported that the airplane had recently been purchased in Southern California and was being relocated to Carson City Airport (CXP) in Carson City, Nevada. The flight departed from Modesto City-County Airport-Harry Sham Field (MOD) in Modesto, California. The pilot followed an interstate highway while approaching the west side of Lake Tahoe. After reaching the Lake Tahoe area, the pilot decided to fly around the lake before continuing to the destination on the east side.
While adding power to level off at 9,500 feet, the pilot heard and felt a pop in the throttle handle, and the engine rpm decreased to 1,800. Subsequently, the throttle stopped controlling engine power, and the rpm dropped to near idle. The pilot applied full rich mixture and switched fuel tanks, but the engine would not increase power. The pilot made a radio call and pitched for best glide over the lake. The airplane nosed over after contacting the water. The pilot and passenger egressed and were soon rescued by nearby boaters.
Aftermath and Investigation
A security video captured the airplane during its descent over the water. The footage showed the airplane contacting the water and flipping over in a big splash. Soon after, nearby boats were seen responding. Search efforts did not locate the airplane, and the wreckage was not recovered.
Review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was completed on April 9, 2022. At that time, the airplane had a total time of 2,976 hours. The investigation was unable to determine how much flight time had accumulated on the airplane since that inspection.