Accident Overview
On July 19, 2015, about 1905 eastern daylight time, an Alon A2 single-engine airplane, registration N5607F, impacted soft terrain during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. The accident occurred near Holland, Michigan. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage, including engine damage and damage to the fuselage and right wing spar.
Flight History
The flight originated from the West Michigan Regional Airport (BIV) near Holland, Michigan, about 1900, and was destined for the Grand Haven Memorial Airpark (3GM) near Grand Haven, Michigan. The pilot reported that he visually checked the airplane's fuel tanks before departure but did not measure the amount of fuel. According to his accident report, the airplane had 9.7 gallons of fuel at its last takeoff. He flew south from Grand Haven to St. Joseph, Michigan (a distance of 70 miles), then turned north to take photographs over Fenville, Michigan. He proceeded to BIV and conducted a touch-and-go landing. After taking off from BIV, he turned the airplane from a west heading to a north heading to return to 3GM. After completing the turn, the airplane lost engine power, and the engine "quit" about 30 seconds later. He reported low-level turbulence during the flight. He performed a forced landing on a beach, where the airplane came to an abrupt stop when the nose landing gear contacted soft sand.
Wreckage Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage on scene. The inspector noted no apparent fuel spills, leaks, or stains at the beach site or in the hangar where the airplane was recovered. The gascolator was nearly filled with fuel before being drained to ascertain the total fuel on board. The amount of recovered fuel was estimated to be about 1/2 gallon. The type certificate data sheet for the accident airplane indicated a fuel capacity of 24 gallons and did not list an unusable amount of fuel for the airplane's fuel system.
Weather Conditions
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a flight plan. At 1855, the recorded weather at Muskegon County Airport, near Muskegon, Michigan, was: wind 310 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky condition few clouds at 5,500 feet, broken clouds at 21,000 feet, temperature 24 degrees Celsius, dew point 14 degrees Celsius, altimeter 29.85 inches of mercury.