Incident Details
On May 9, 2017, at approximately 1630 Eastern Daylight Time, a privately owned Mooney M20R, registration N20835, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean shortly after departure from Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The flight was destined for Charleston International Airport (CHS), Charleston, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot reported that after departing from runway 18, he began climbing on a 180° heading. When the airplane reached about 300 feet above ground level, he felt a strong jolt, as if something had struck the aircraft. Seconds later, the engine stopped. The pilot informed the tower controller of a problem and performed a ditching landing straight ahead. The airplane initially remained afloat, allowing the pilot to egress through the cabin door and stand on the wing before the airplane began to sink. A tour helicopter in the area responded and dropped a life preserver, and the pilot was rescued by an individual on a personal watercraft.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on July 28, 2015. He reported 2,727 total flight hours, of which 1,500 hours were in the same make and model as the accident aircraft.
The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2016, about 154 flight hours prior to the accident. The engine was overhauled in November 2016 and had accrued 138 hours since overhaul. Engine oil changes were performed on January 3, February 2, and March 20, 2017, with the oil filter element inspected each time and no abnormalities found. The engine had accumulated 46 hours since the last oil change.
Post-Accident Actions
Attempts by a salvage company to locate the submerged airplane were unsuccessful. The aircraft was not recovered and is presumed substantially damaged.