Accident Overview
On March 19, 2011, at approximately 2045 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registration N2027M, experienced a loss of engine power and force landed on a beach near Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY) in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and one passenger incurred minor injuries. The flight, operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, departed Hyannis, Massachusetts (HYA) around 2020. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported that while approaching runway 24 at MVY, the engine lost power and ceased operation. Unable to reach the runway, he executed a forced landing on a beach. During the landing, the airplane struck a piling and came to rest in knee-deep water.
Post-Accident Examination
Initial examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the fuel tank selector valve was positioned to the right tank. The right wing fuel tank was compromised due to impact forces. After the airplane was recovered from the beach, 20 gallons of seawater were drained from the right wing; no fuel was present. The wreckage was moved to a hangar for a more detailed inspection. The wings and empennage sustained structural damage. A visual examination of the engine found no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. Several fuel lines—from the fuel tanks to the engine firewall, firewall to fuel pump, fuel pump to fuel control, fuel control to fuel distribution valve, and fuel distribution valve to fuel injectors—were removed and found to contain no fuel.
Pilot Statements
During an interview with FAA inspectors, the pilot stated that the wing tank gauges indicated half full when he departed HYA. He also reported experiencing a fuel starvation event approximately three years prior while taxiing. On that occasion, the fuel tanks indicated one quarter full on the gauges, but the tank in use was found empty. The pilot could not recall which tank was empty or whether any corrective maintenance was performed on the fuel indicating system after that event.