Accident Overview
On October 22, 2022, at approximately 1817 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35A airplane, registration N7893R, was substantially damaged following a forced landing on the Medway River near Sunbury, Georgia. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight Details
According to the pilot, before departure, the left wing fuel tank contained about 35 gallons of fuel, and the right wing tank held an estimated 15 to 20 gallons. The pilot departed Eagle Neck Airpark (1GA0) in Shellman Bluff, Georgia, around 1720 and flew to Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK) in Brunswick, Georgia, to practice instrument approaches. After completing two approaches at BQK, he returned to 1GA0.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
Upon arrival at 1GA0, the pilot entered the traffic pattern and extended the left downwind leg approximately 10 miles north of the airport before turning onto a left base leg. The engine then suddenly lost power. The pilot immediately switched fuel tanks with no restoration of power. He then moved the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls to their full forward positions, but the engine remained unresponsive. The pilot broadcast a mayday call and faced a choice between a forced landing on the Medway River or a marsh. He elected to land on the river near the marsh.
The pilot kept the landing gear retracted. Upon touchdown on the water, the airplane decelerated rapidly and stopped. The pilot exited onto the wing and called 911. The airplane settled in about six feet of water, and the pilot stood on the fuselage with water up to his knees while awaiting rescue. Approximately one hour later, he was rescued by the United States Coast Guard.
Post-Accident Examination
The airplane was recovered from the water two days after the accident. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors observed the recovery. Damage included crush and compression to the right lower wing root, twisting of the right outboard wing panel, and a missing portion of the left ruddervator with its balance weight separated. The nose landing gear doors, lower engine cowling, and lower fuselage exhibited crush and compression damage, and an access panel on the lower fuselage was missing. No fuel or oil leakage was noted during recovery. Approximately one gallon of fuel was recovered from each wing tank.
The airplane was subsequently transported to an aircraft recovery facility for detailed examination. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left tank, the throttle was fully open, the mixture was set to full rich, and the propeller control was in the high rpm position. The propeller blades displayed visible aft bending. The fuel tanks remained intact. A trace amount of fuel was found in the fuel strainer, and the fuel distribution valve contained no fuel. The fuel distribution valve screen and fuel injectors were free of debris or obstructions. The magnetos were water-damaged and could not be tested.
Engine Data Analysis
An engine data monitoring device was recovered from the airplane, and its data were downloaded by the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The recovered dataset corresponded to the accident flight, though the unit's internal clock had not been set accurately, preventing correlation to actual time. The data included cylinder head temperature (CHT) and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) for each of the six cylinders, recorded every six seconds. The accident-flight dataset spanned 1 hour and 7 minutes. Rises in CHT and EGT consistent with application of takeoff power began about 8 minutes into the recording. Approximately 1 hour and 4 minutes after recording began, a sudden increase in EGT of about 100°F for all cylinders was observed, persisting for about 30 seconds. This was followed by a rapid decrease in EGT and a gradual decrease in CHT over the remaining 3 minutes of the recording, consistent with a loss of engine power.
According to the airplane's FAA-Approved Airplane Flight Manual, the maximum usable fuel for each 39 or 40 gallon main tank is 37 gallons. The fuel selector placards in the accident airplane indicated a capacity of 37 gallons per tank.