History of Flight
On July 27, 2014, about 1445 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N8826C, experienced a total loss of engine power during a personal flight from Buchan Airport (X36) to Venice Municipal Airport (VNC). The pilot performed a forced landing to the shoreline of Casperan Beach in Venice, Florida. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured, but two individuals standing in shallow water were fatally struck by the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
Before departure, the pilot checked fuel levels, noting the right tank below the tab mark and the left tank at the tab. He added oil and started the engine. Initial magneto checks revealed the left magneto ran rough with a 300 rpm drop. After consulting with a person working nearby, the pilot restarted the engine and found all magnetos operating normally. He then decided to take a short flight to VNC for fuel.
During the flight, the engine began making a "missing, knocking, hitting sound" with rapid deterioration, followed by a sudden total loss of power. The pilot adjusted the mixture and throttle, turned on the fuel pump, switched fuel tanks, and attempted to reach VNC. He declared an emergency with VNC Unicom but determined the airplane could not reach the runway. He aimed for the beach, observing sparse population on the sand. The airplane touched down in shallow water on a northerly heading and came to a quick stop. After egress, the pilot learned the airplane had hit two people.
Personnel and Aircraft Information
The pilot, aged 57, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and reported 203 total flight hours, including 74 hours in the Piper PA-28. His most recent FAA third-class medical was issued February 11, 2013.
The airplane was a Piper PA-28-181 powered by a Lycoming O-360-series engine driving a fixed-pitch two-blade metal propeller. The last annual inspection was completed February 17, 2014, at an airframe total time of 1,902 hours and engine time since overhaul of 836 hours. The wing fuel tanks had a usable capacity of 24 gallons each, with the tab mark placarded at 17 gallons.
Wreckage and Examination
The airplane came to rest upright, nose-down at the waterline, with the nose landing gear separated and both main landing gear attached. The left wing exhibited about 4 feet of leading-edge crushing outboard; the propeller had one blade undamaged and the other bent aft about 60 degrees. Cockpit switches showed fuel off, magnetos off, mixture rich, throttle forward, and carburetor heat off. The Hobbs meter indicated about 22 minutes of operating time.
Postaccident examination revealed unobstructed fuel supply and vent lines. Engine compression, magneto spark, fuel quality, and crankshaft continuity were normal. When the engine was run with a replacement propeller, it operated up to 2,000 rpm with magneto drops of about 100 rpm each. The carburetor was removed, disassembled, and found to have no anomalies.
Additional Information
Neither the pilot nor the passenger reported using carburetor heat during the flight. Weather at VNC at 1455 included a temperature of 32°C (90°F) and dew point of 24°C (75°F), conditions associated with a probability of carburetor ice at glide and cruise power per FAA guidance.
The pilot did not mention sumping the fuel during preflight inspection in his written list of actions. When asked specifically about fuel sumping, he did not respond. The passenger was not present for the preflight.
An FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (CE-14-23) regarding possible collapse of the air inlet hose was noted, but examination revealed the hose was not collapsed.
The pilot stated he chose a beach landing over ditching to avoid flipping the airplane in deeper water. The FAA provided information on emergency landing decision-making, noting that pilots may instinctively choose a beach if available.