At about 1034 Eastern standard time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The flight instructor, private pilot and passenger, were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.
While in cruise at 6000 feet msl, the engine lost power. The flight instructor established best glide speed and turned toward a nearby airport while the private pilot declared an emergency to ATC. After running the checklist and troubleshooting the failure, the flight instructor realized they would not be able to make the airport and noticed what appeared to be a suitable landing area. The airplane came to rest in a water-filled marsh. Its landing gear was separated and the horizontal stabilizer, elevators, wing leading edges, flaps, boarding steps and fuselage exhibited damage.
