What happened
On the afternoon of August 13, 2022, a Cessna T207A, registered as N9582M, was participating in a scenic flight tour of the Lake Powell region. The aircraft was the lead plane in a formation of five planes, cruising at an altitude between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. During the flight, while the pilot was executing a turn back toward the airport, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power. The pilot issued a distress signal, indicating an intention to ditch the aircraft in Lake Powell.
The aircraft subsequently impacted the water and sank to a depth of approximately 100 feet. The wreckage was found upright on the lake floor during a later underwater survey. Emergency response efforts included National Park Service vessels, private boats, and helicopters. While several passengers were rescued from the water, two fatalities occurred because those individuals were unable to exit the cabin before it submerged. The remaining passengers sustained various levels of injury, including two serious injuries and two minor injuries. The pilot also sustained minor injuries.
Findings
Witnesses and the pilot's own communications following the incident confirmed that the primary factor in the accident was an engine failure during the cruise phase of the flight.