Accident Overview
On January 3, 2015, at approximately 1015 eastern standard time, a Cessna P206, registration N2534X, made a forced landing in a lagoon after a total loss of engine power during an approach to Key West International Airport (EYW) in Key West, Florida. The airline transport pilot and three passengers received minor injuries, while two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight, operated by Exec Air Inc. under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, departed Naples, Florida (APF) at about 0920. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that, at approximately 300 feet above ground on final approach to runway 9, the engine "quit suddenly with no surging or other warning signs." He selected the auxiliary fuel pump to the high position and switched fuel tanks. The engine momentarily restarted then quit again. Unable to reach the runway, the airplane landed short in a lagoon, about one-quarter mile from the runway, and came to rest in about 3 feet of salt water. The pilot stated he departed APF with about 78 gallons of fuel.
Wreckage Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage. The right wing exhibited structural damage from impact. The fuel selector was found in the "off" position, but recovery personnel reported moving it from the "right tank" position. Wing tanks were de-fueled before the inspector's arrival; about 15 gallons were recovered from the left tank and about 40 gallons from the right tank. The nose gear was crushed upward into the underside of the engine. No fuel or oil was observed on the airplane's exterior surfaces. A fueling record indicated 42.2 gallons of fuel were purchased at APF prior to the flight.
Engine and Fuel System Examination
Fuel was present in the lines between the electric boost pump and the engine-driven fuel pump, from the engine-driven pump to the fuel metering valve, and in the line entering the fuel manifold valve and inside the valve. The engine-driven fuel pump appeared normal and its drive shaft was intact. The top six spark plugs were removed and appeared normal. The engine was rotated by hand; internal continuity was established, and compression and suction were confirmed on all six cylinders. The magnetos were turned by hand, and the impulse couplings operated normally, but no spark was observed on the ignition leads. The magnetos and ignition harnesses were retained for further examination.
Magnetos and Fuel Pump Testing
On April 9, 2015, the magnetos, ignition harnesses, and engine-driven fuel pump were examined at the Continental Motors facility in Mobile, Alabama, under NTSB direction. The fuel pump (part # 638154-1; serial # 1752) showed no external damage, the spline was intact, and it rotated when hand-actuated. When installed on a test stand and run at 700 to 3,200 rpm for several minutes, the unit functioned as designed and recorded high pressure. The left magneto (Slick model # 6210; serial # 90080047) and right magneto (Slick model # 6210; serial # 91040206) exhibited no external damage. Each was installed on a test bench and run at varying rpm for several minutes, producing a blue spark on each lead.
Operational Findings
Two passengers reported to an FAA inspector that the airplane was "chartered" by a third passenger for the round trip to EYW. A credit card receipt for $1,180.80, charged by Exec Air on the third passenger's credit card, was provided to investigators. Exec Air holds an FAA Airline Certificate for On Demand Airplane operations, which lists only one approved aircraft, a Cessna 182. The Cessna 206 used in the accident flight is not approved under that certificate. The owner of Exec Air stated that the charge was for anticipated expenses incurred during the personal flight. The FAA is pursuing certificate action against the operator and pilot for conducting an unauthorized charter flight; at the time of this writing, that action was pending.