Accident Overview
On June 22, 2012, at approximately 1705 eastern daylight time, a Piper J5A, registration N40985, ditched into the Atlantic Ocean roughly 12 miles off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The airplane sustained presumed substantial damage as it sank and was not recovered. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the aerial observation flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Details
The flight departed Beverly Municipal Airport (BVY) in Beverly, Massachusetts, around 1115. According to the pilot, he topped off the fuel tanks, performed a preflight inspection, and noted no anomalies. After completing the aerial observation mission over the Atlantic Ocean, about 5.8 total flight hours into the flight while returning to BVY, the engine began to surge. The pilot attempted to restore full power by applying carburetor heat, but with no immediate changes, he turned it off. He also used the engine primer, which briefly restored partial power, but soon after the engine lost power completely. The pilot reported approximately five gallons of fuel remaining at that time. He ditched the airplane and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard around 1800.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multiengine land, and airplane multiengine sea. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on May 19, 2012. He reported 4,437 total flight hours, with 91 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
The airplane, manufactured in 1941, was registered to the pilot in November 2011. The most recent annual inspection was in October 2011. The airplane had accumulated about 450 total flight hours. The maintenance logbooks were on board and sank with the wreckage, so they could not be reviewed. The pilot stated the Continental Motors A-75 series engine consumed about 3.5 gallons of fuel per hour during cruise.
According to FAA records, the airplane was originally equipped with a Continental Motors A-75-8 engine, replaced in December 1956 with a Continental Motors A-80 series engine. The Type Certificate Data Sheet specified a total fuel capacity of 25 gallons: two wing tanks of 8 gallons each and a header tank of 7 gallons. The Continental Motors Maintenance and Overhaul manual for the A-80 series engine states average fuel consumption of 5.2 gallons per hour at cruising rpm, ranging from 3.5 to 6.5 gallons per hour.
Weather Conditions
At 1700, a buoy operated by the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems, located about 7 nautical miles southeast of Gloucester and 7 nautical miles from the accident site, reported wind from 164 degrees at 8 knots and a temperature of 23.3°C. No dewpoint data was recorded.
At 2053, the weather reported at BVY, about 21 nautical miles from the accident location, included wind from 290 degrees at 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds at 6,500 and 9,000 feet, temperature 33°C, dewpoint 19°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.67 inches of mercury. According to FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, June 30, 2009, the temperature and dewpoint at BVY around the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor ice formation at cruise/glide power settings.