THE DTSB
The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the accident pilot did report an engine problem after checking in with KTRK control tower, stating that he did not think that he would make it to the airport. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude partially submerged near the shore in a subalpine lake in an area known as the Five Lakes at an elevation of 7,500 ft mean sea level (MSLl) on a magnetic heading of 225°. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was the top of a pine tree about 150 ft. southwest of the main wreckage. About 75 ft. from the FIPC was the right wing, which had struck a tree near the base and separated from the airplane. There was a postcrash fire centralized at the right wing and tree, from which the accident pilot was unable to egress from. The weather was clear and visibility unlimited at the time of the accident, and the accident pilot did
mishandle the routine engine abnormal by his attempt to land very near the shoreline, and did mis-judge his approach to the shoreline where a tree was impacted prior to touchdown, thereby causing the nose down impact and the subsequent loss of control The aircraft was controllable and was being controlled up until the instant in time where the accident aircraft struck the first ground based object, 175 feet from the final crash location.