Accident Details
On July 23, 2012, at approximately 1502 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25, registration N7313Z, was substantially damaged after a forced landing into the Atlantic Ocean near Westerly, Rhode Island. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Westerly State Airport (WST) around 1445 for a local banner tow operation under Part 91. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to the pilot, the aircraft departed with 25 gallons of fuel for a planned 45-minute flight and had not refueled that day. About 12 minutes into the flight, while at approximately 600 feet altitude, the engine began running roughly and sounded as if it misfired. After about 20 seconds, the pilot increased engine power to full, richened the mixture, and applied carburetor heat. Shortly thereafter, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot ditched the airplane into the ocean with the banner still attached, about 6 miles from shore. He transmitted a distress call and was later rescued by a civilian boat.
The aircraft was recovered from the ocean on July 31, 2012. The pilot performed a cursory examination and noted that the crankshaft was free to rotate and oil was present in the engine case. He reported an unspecified problem with a valve of the number 4 cylinder and was unable to check the magnetos due to water saturation. An unspecified quantity of fuel was found in a fuel tank. Due to saltwater immersion, no further engine examination was possible.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple ratings, including airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued in June 2012, and he reported 9,175 total flight hours, with 1,500 hours in the accident make and model.
The accident airplane, manufactured in 1965, was equipped with a Lycoming O-540-B4B5 engine. Maintenance records show the most recent annual inspection was completed on August 7, 2011, at which time the airframe had 4,720 total flight hours and the engine had 2,147 hours since its most recent overhaul. An additional 150 flight hours had accumulated since that inspection.
The pilot had most recently purchased fuel from a fixed base operator at WST. An FAA inspector directed an inspection of the fuel facility following the accident, and no abnormalities were noted.
Weather Conditions
At 1500, the weather reported at WST included winds from 210 degrees magnetic at 9 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, a broken ceiling at 1,600 feet, temperature 26°C, dew point 21°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury. The temperature and dew point conditions at that time were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power settings.