"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
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"Dan Luke" wrote in message
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"Gary Drescher" wrote:

Subsequent updates are emphasizing witness reports that the engine
sounded like it was sputtering,

Witnesses often say that, particularly if the airplane was spinning.

Yup. At least one witness was quoted as saying that the engine sputtered
while the plane "circled", but he could've been referring to spinning.
Also,
if the plane entered a spin, the proper response would've included
retarding
the throttle, which might be what the witnesses heard.

It's perplexing that an 1800-hour CFI would have a stall/spin crash on a
sightseeing flight, with or without an engine failure.

I was going to say that.
He is also CFII, MEI