At 1700 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The Commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. After three touch-and-go landings at a remote airport, the pilot decided to fly over the beach. About five minutes later, the airplanes engine began to “cough and sputter,” and then lost power. The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks from the right to the left tank, turned the boost pump on, and attempted to restart the engine. He then performed a forced landing to the beach. The accident flight was the second flight since the pilot and certified mechanic completed the airplanes annual inspection. Prior to the inspection, the airplane had not flown for 14 years. The airplane was last refueled on the morning of the accident with 20 gallons of fuel, and was then flown for approximately 90 minutes, prior to the accident flight. Examination revealed there were five gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank; the left fuel tank was empty.
June 9, 2007, Jacksonville, Fla., Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk
At 1700 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The Commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. After three touch-and-go landings at a remote airport, the pilot decided to fly over the beach. About five minutes later, the airplanes engine began to "cough and sputter," and then lost power. The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks from the right to the left tank, turned the boost pump on, and attempted to restart the engine.
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a beach after its engine lost power, though the pilot and passenger were uninjured.
- The engine failure occurred on the second flight following the aircraft's first annual inspection in 14 years, after previously flying for 90 minutes earlier the same day.
- Post-accident examination revealed the left fuel tank was empty and only five gallons remained in the right tank, indicating a likely fuel exhaustion or starvation issue as the cause of the engine power loss.
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