Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-12 near Myrtle Beach, SC — 2023-07-31

Final reportERA23LA356
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Date
2023-07-31
Location
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-12
Registration
N3036M
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB narrative

The pilot said he refueled the airplane the day before the accident and checked the fuel level during his preflight inspection the following morning. As he was conducting his second banner-tow of the day over the coastline, about 2 hours 30 minutes into the flight the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot made a forced landing in the ocean just offshore of the beach, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that while the crankshaft would not rotate more than 180 degrees, this was likely due to corrosion that was the result of exposure to saltwater during the forced landing. Internal inspection of the engine via a borescope revealed no obvious mechanical deficiencies or malfunctions that would have precluded the engine from operating at the time of the accident. Although the pilot reported departing with 33 usable gallons of fuel, the postaccident examination found no evidence of fuel leaks and both fuel tanks were intact and empty of fuel. As such, the engine most likely lost power due to fuel exhaustion.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot did not verify fuel levels before second flight despite previous refueling.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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