SMA FLYING OVER OCEAN JUST OFF SHORE HAS ENG QUIT. EMER LNDG IN SHALLOW WATER.

Narrative

I ARRIVED AT MICHAEL SMITH FIELD; BEAUFORT; NC. THE FBO WAS ATTENDED BY MR. X; CFI. I PICKED UP THE TIME (HOBBS) SHEET FOR SMA; PROCEEDED TO THE ACFT AND BEGAN PREFLT INSPECTION. FUEL GAUGES INDICATED 1/2 FULL FOR BOTH TANKS. EXTERNAL PREFLT WAS CONDUCTED. FUEL WAS DRAINED 3 TIMES FROM EACH WING AND ENG SUMP. WING TANKS WERE VISUALLY INSPECTED AND I PROTRUDED MY MIDDLE AND INDEX FINGER INTO THE TANKS; IMMERSING THEM TO THE FIRST KNUCKLE. THE OIL LEVEL WAS CHKED AT 6 QUARTS; ALL OTHER ITEMS WERE ALSO NORMAL. AFTER COMPLETING PREFLT; I RETURNED TO THE FBO AND ASKED MR. X IF HE'D LIKE ME TO PULL ACFT TO THE FBO SO HE COULD FILL THE TANKS. I TOLD HIM THERE WAS ABOUT 1/2 IN EACH TANK AND I COULD TOUCH FUEL. HE ASKED WHAT WOULD BE MY FLT TIME. I REPLIED '1 HR OR SO' AND HE SAID HE'D 'TOP OFF THE TANKS' AFTER MY RETURN; AND TO 'LET IT GO UNTIL THEN.' AT THIS TIME; MR. Y; CFII; ENTERED THE FBO; JOINED THE CONVERSATION AND STATED 'IF YOU CAN TOUCH FUEL; YOU'RE OK.' MR. X ADDED THAT ACFT ONLY HAD 'AN HR OUT OF HER' AFTER PREVIOUSLY FILLING. I CONCURRED THAT IT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO EMBARK BASED ON APPROX 10 GALLONS USABLE RESERVE. MY PAX ARRIVED AT THE FBO; WE BOARDED THE ACFT AND STARTED. I ROUTINELY SET MY WATCH TO NOTE FLT TIME TO COMPARE WITH HOBBS. WE TAXIED TO RWY 21; HELD SHORT AND RUN-UP. WE BROADCAST DEP ON UNICOM (122.8) AND DID 3 TOUCH-AND-GOES. FOLLOWING THESE; WE DEPARTED THE PATTERN TO THE SE; CLBING TO 1000 FT AGL. WE MADE A GENTLE LEFT 180 DEG TURN FOR ANOTHER PASS OVER CAPE LOOKOUT AT 1100 FT AGL; HDG 120 DEGS. AFTER 20-30 SECONDS; THE ACFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE STRONGLY; AND I NOTICED A STRONG METALLIC; BURNING ODOR. THE RPM DROPPED TO 2100; AND I ADDED CARB HEAT AND PWR WITHOUT EFFECT. FUEL GAUGES READ JUST UNDER 1/4 FULL AND OIL TEMP AND PRESSURE WERE VIBRATING. I ENRICHED MIX TO FULL; TURNED L 180 DEGS TO A 300 DEG HDG BACK TO THE FIELD. THE ACFT WAS STILL VIBRATING BADLY; AS WE PROCEEDED OVER SHACKLEFORD BANKS AT 1100 FT AGL; THERE WERE 2 LOUD BANGS AND THEENG QUIT. THE PROP STOPPED AND RPM FELL TO '0.' I CALLED 'MAYDAY' OVER UNICOM; AND BEGAN TO HOLD THE ACFT FOR GLIDE SPD; AS IT WENT INTO AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. I HAD LOST ABOUT 250 FT. AT ABOUT 800 FT AGL THE ENG SURGED; PRODUCING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. RPM JUMPED TO 1000-1200 AND THE PROP ERRATICALLY TURNED THROUGH ABOUT 1 REVOLUTION. WITH MY INITIAL DSCNT; THE AIRSPD WAS AT 80 MPH. I DECIDED TO TRADE ALT FOR SPD AND WAS ABLE TO CLB TO 950 FT BEFORE THE SPD BLED TO 65 MPH. AT THIS POINT THE ENG QUIT AGAIN; THE PROP STOPPED AND RPM WENT TO '0.' I WAS ON A 320 DEG HDG AND REALIZED THAT I COULDN'T MAKE THE FIELD. WITH THE TOWN OF BEAUFORT AHEAD OF ME; I TURNED TO 260 DEGS AWAY FROM THE TOWN; AND WITH FULL CARB HEAT; RICH MIXTURE I REINJECTED PRIMER AND ATTEMPTED RESTART. I ATTEMPTED A SECOND RESTART; BOTH UNSUCCESSFUL. AHEAD OF ME NOW WAS SHACKLEFORD BEACH. I NOTICED MANY BOATERS AND SWIMMERS; SO I TURNED TO 200 DEGS AND TRIED A THIRD RESTART; TO NO AVAIL. THE BEACH AHEAD OF ME WAS NARROW AND BOUNDED BY TREES. I DIDN'T WANT TO RISK FLIPPING ON THE SAND OR IMPACTING TREES; SO I DECIDED TO PUT DOWN IN THE SHALLOW WATER; SOUND-SIDE; OFF SHACKLEFORD BANKS. DSNDING THROUGH 300 FT AGL; I BROADCAST THAT I WAS DITCHING AND GAVE MY RELATIVE POS. I TIGHTENED MY HARNESS AND MY PAX'S AND OPENED MY DOOR SLIGHTLY. THE ACFT WAS TRIMMED AND I HELD AFT YOKE FOR NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE; MY AIRSPD WAS 55 MPH; WINGS LEVEL. THE RAIL GENTLY TOUCHED FIRST; THE L GEAR APPARENTLY STRUCK A SWELL. THE ACFT SWUNG L; I APPLIED FULL R RUDDER; THE R GEAR ENTERED THE WATER; THE DRAG CAUSING THE NOSE TO FALL THROUGH. THE ACFT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP IN 3 - 3 1/2 FT OF WATER; APPROX 300 YARDS FROM SHORE. I SWITCHED OFF AVIONICS AND MASTER; ENGAGED THE ELT; UNSTRAPPED MYSELF AND MY PAX; EGRESSED AND ASSISTED MY PAX FROM MY SIDE AFTER INQUIRING OF HER CONDITION. BOTH MY PAX AND I WERE COMPLETELY UNINJURED. I WADED MY PAX ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE ACFT; AND WENT BACK TO INSPECT THE ACFT. I NOTED MY WATCH. UPON INSPECTING THE HOBBS METER IT WAS NOTED THAT 1.0 HR FLT TIME ELAPSED. THE AILERONS AND ELEVATOR WERE FREE AND COUPLED; THERE WAS NO CABIN DAMAGE (EXCEPT WATER); AND THE L WINGTIP (OUTBOARD OF AILERON) AND COWL WERE DENTED. THE FIBERGLASS FAIRING AROUND THE NOSEWHEEL WAS MANGLED. THE PROP HAD 1 BENT BLADE AND WAS FREE AND COULD BE MANUALLY TURNED. VISUAL INSPECTION OF WING TANKS REVEALED APPROX 2-3 INCHES OF FUEL IN EACH TANK. AT THAT TIME; A SMALL BOAT CAME TO THE SCENE. I ESCORTED MY PAX TO THE BOAT; AND WAITED AT THE SCENE UNTIL ARR OF THE COAST GUARD. AN INVESTIGATION IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF ENG FAILURE. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT MAGNETO OR CRANKSHAFT DYSFUNCTION WAS A CAUSE.