History of Flight
On September 20, 2009, about 1010 eastern daylight time, a Ryan Navion, N4467K, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a beach on Fire Island, New York. The certificated airline transport pilot and two passengers were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan.
The airplane was equipped with three fuel tanks: one main tank in each wing and an auxiliary tank in the fuselage, each with a capacity of approximately 20 gallons. The fuel selector valve had three positions: off, main tanks, and auxiliary tank. Prior to departure from Quonset State Airport (OQU) in Kingstown, Rhode Island, the pilot determined the main tanks held about 25 gallons total and filled the auxiliary tank. The intended fuel stop was Cape May County Airport (WWD) in Wildwood, New Jersey.
Approximately 55 minutes into the flight, while over the Great South Bay south-southeast of Islip MacArthur Airport (ISP) at about 1,400 feet msl, the pilot switched from the main tanks to the auxiliary tank. Shortly after turning on the fuel boost pump and moving the selector valve, the engine quit suddenly, but the propeller continued to windmill. The pilot immediately switched back to main tanks, but the engine did not restart despite proper magneto and mixture settings. The fuel pressure gauge spiked momentarily then dropped to near zero.
The pilot executed a forced landing, turning south toward an unpopulated beach area with the landing gear retracted. The airplane grazed sand dunes before touching down and sliding to a stop. No persons or ground items were struck. The pilot called 9-1-1, and first responders arrived about 10 minutes later.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple ratings and had approximately 9,860 total flight hours, with 125 hours in the accident make and model. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued in May 2009.
The airplane was manufactured in 1948 and equipped with a Continental E225 series piston engine. It had about 4,000 hours total time. The fuel selector valve was replaced in June 2009 to comply with FAA Airworthiness Directive 2008-05-14, which addressed potential fuel system leaks or improperly operating valves that could lead to engine power loss. The most recent annual inspection was completed on September 1, 2009, and the airplane had flown about 5 hours since.
Investigation Findings
Examination revealed substantial damage to the right wing, aileron, aft fuselage, engine cowl, and propeller. All three fuel tanks remained intact. After recovery, at least 13 gallons of fuel were drained from the main tank and 8 gallons from the auxiliary tank.
Post-accident testing showed the fuel selector valve was installed correctly, the engine-driven fuel pump was functional, and the electric fuel pump produced normal output pressure. However, when the selector valve was switched to the auxiliary tank during testing, air was observed bubbling in the fuel strainer and the electric fuel pump cavitated. The fuel strainer's cork gasket was found deteriorated, thin, and not providing a proper seal. After replacing the gasket and coating it with petroleum jelly, the test repeated without abnormalities. The investigation could not determine the age or correct part number of the original gasket.