What happened
On October 8, 2025, a Cessna 172N, registration SP-KEA, was conducting a planned flight from Kaniów to Żar, with a stopover at EPZR. After an initial flight segment and a brief pause on the ground, the pilot departed from EPZR at 17:24 local time. During the initial climb, at an altitude of approximately 550 ft AGL near a road bridge over the Soła River, the aircraft experienced a sudden engine failure.
Recognizing that returning to the airfield might be unsafe, the pilot opted for an emergency landing. To avoid obstacles on a nearby road, the pilot steered the aircraft toward the axis of Lake Międzybrodzkodkie. After attempting to restart the engine without success, the pilot deployed flaps to 20 degrees and performed a straight-in water landing in the middle of the lake. While the aircraft did not capsize immediately, it began to sink. The pilot was unable to open the cabin door due to water pressure and was forced to break the windshield with his legs to escape. The aircraft sank to a depth of approximately 8.5 meters in the former riverbed of the Soła River about four minutes after the landing.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the aircraft's condition following its recovery from the lake. The aircraft was retrieved using inflatable buoyancy balloons and towed to the shore. Preliminary inspections of the airframe and powerplant conducted on October 20 and 21 showed no mechanical damage other than that sustained during the recovery process. The interior of the aircraft was found to be completely flooded and destroyed, with mud and water present in the engine. The investigation also reviewed the pilot's credentials, flight logs, and meteorological conditions, which were reported as VMC with high visibility.
Findings
- The primary cause of the emergency was a sudden engine failure during the climb phase.
- The pilot successfully managed the emergency landing by utilizing flaps to reduce touchdown speed.
- The aircraft sank because the cockpit flooded, and the weight of the water eventually pulled the airframe to the bottom.
- The pilot's survival was significantly aided by a bystander, a medical professional, who used a kayak to reach the pilot in the water before rescue services arrived.
- The aircraft's electrical, pneumatic, and fuel systems were completely compromised by water and silt.