AN SMA PLT HAD TO LAND ON A BEACH AFTER HAVING A PWR LOSS. HE FLEW OFF SUCCESSFULLY.

Narrative

*AN OWNER/PLT OF AN SMA EXPERIENCED A PWR LOSS OVER THE OCEAN AND LANDED ON A BEACH. THE ACFT WAS OPERATING IN VERY COLD TEMPS FROM THE GND UP (10 DEGS F OVERNIGHT) AND WAS PROPERLY PREFLTED EXCEPT FOR DRAINING THE FUEL TANKS AT THE WING. SOME ALCOHOL BASED 'DRY GAS' WAS ADDED TO THE TANKS; A RUNUP WAS PERFORMED; AND THE ACFT TOOK OFF FROM THE BEACH. THE ACFT WAS CHKED OUT BY A MECH AT HOME BASE AND NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE PWR LOSS. A FEW DAYS LATER; ANOTHER LOSS OF PWR WAS EXPERIENCED; AND THE ACFT LANDED BACK AT ITS HOME BASE. FURTHER MECHANICAL REVIEW IS BEING DONE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF WORN VALVE GUIDES BEING INVESTIGATED. THE RPTING OWNER/PLT HAS NOT RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CARB ICE. HE IS CHKING THE REGS REGARDING THE USE OF ALCOHOL BASED 'DRY GAS' TYPE ADDITIVES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FURTHER EXAMINATION BY MECHS HAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CRACKED FUEL NOZZLE TUBE IN THE CARB; VALVE CLRNC THAT WAS TOO TIGHT; AND A HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ALL OF THE ABOVE SHOULD HAVE HAD NO BEARING ON THE PWR LOSS PROB. THE RPTING PLT IS NOW FILLING 1 TANK WITH 100 LL FUEL AND THE OTHER TANK WITH AUTO GAS. HE HAS BEEN FLYING THE ACFT DAY VFR ONLY UNTIL HE GETS HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE ACFT BACK. HE HAS FOUND AN APPROVED GASOLINE ADDITIVE AND IS USING IT. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED HIM AT ALL ON THIS MATTER.