NTSB Identification: ERA12LA522
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 22, 2012 in Hernando Beach, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/13/2013
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28RT-201T, registration: N2970G
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
While en route over the Gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported that the engine began to run rough and experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot declared an emergency, searched for a place to land, and performed a gear-up landing in the water. The pilot egressed and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the No.6 cylinder fuel injection nozzle was blocked with debris. After the fuel nozzle was cleaned and reinstalled, an engine run was performed. The engine started and ran smoothly, accelerated to maximum power without hesitation, and was shut down with no anomalies noted. It is likely that a small particle of debris in the fuel became lodged in the No. 6 fuel injection nozzle, which resulted in the loss of engine power.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
A partial loss of engine power due to a blockage of the No. 6 cylinder fuel injector nozzle.
On August 22, 2012, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, N2970G, was substantially damaged following a ditching into the Gulf of Mexico, near Hernando Beach, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Knoxville Downtown Island Airport (DKX), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 0800 with the intended destination of St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida.
According to the pilot, he fueled the airplane prior to the accident flight. While en route, the pilot maneuvered the airplane around several thunderstorms before the engine began to run rough and experienced a partial loss of power over the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot declared an emergency, searched for a place to land, and located a few islands nearby. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot performed a gear-up landing in the water, and the airplane came to rest in approximately 3 to 4 feet of water. The pilot egressed and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard around 1215.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued June 28, 2011. He reported 4,660 total hours of flight time, of which 3,085 were in the accident airplane make and model.
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1979 and registered to the owner in 2006. It was equipped with a Continental Motors TSIO-360-FB1B, 200-horsepower engine. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on September 16, 2011. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 10,507 total hours of flight time.
The 1053 recorded weather observation at Hernando County Airport (BKV), Brooksville, Florida, located approximately 15 miles to the east of the accident location, included wind from 180 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 24 degrees C; barometric altimeter 30.09 inches of mercury, and a remark of distant lightning to the north and northwest of the airport.
The airplane was recovered from the water two days after the accident and moved to a salvage facility, where an engine examination was conducted on September 7, 2012. The engine remained intact and exhibited signs of salt water immersion. The variable pitch propeller was still attached, and all three blades displayed minor bending. The spark plugs were removed prior to inspection of the engine. The spark plugs showed signs of salt water immersion and of normal wear. The internal magneto timing could not be verified due to salt water damage. A visual inspection of the fuel supply line fittings revealed significant amounts of rust.
The first attempt to start the engine resulted in intermittent firing. The spark plugs were removed and cleaned of salt water contamination. The engine was started a second time, which resulted in rough-running operation at a maximum power of 2,000 rpm with the fuel mixture set to full rich. A third engine run was performed, and the engine continued to run rough. Further examination revealed that the No.6 cylinder was cold. The No.6 cylinder spark plugs were removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. The No.6 fuel injection nozzle was removed and found to be clogged with debris. The nozzle was cleaned and reinstalled into the cylinder. The fourth and fifth engine runs resulted in smooth operation, and the engine reached a maximum of 2,600 rpm.
The aircraft was equipped with a JBI Engine Analyzer unit. Readout of the unit at the NTSB Recorders Laboratory showed that for undetermined reasons the unit did not record the final stages of the accident flight.
NTSB Identification: ERA12LA522
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, August 22, 2012 in
Aircraft: PIPER PA-28RT-201T, registration: N2970G
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On August 22, 2012, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, N2970G, was substantially damaged following a forced landing into the Gulf of Mexico, about 11 miles west of Brooksville, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Knoxville Downtown Island Airport (DKX), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 0800 with the intended destination of St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida.
According to the pilot, he fueled the airplane prior to the accident flight. While en route, the pilot maneuvered the airplane around several thunderstorms before the engine began to run rough and lost partial power over the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot declared an emergency, searched for a place to land, and located a few islands nearby. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot made a gear up landing in the water, and the airplane came to rest in approximately 3 to 4 feet of water. The pilot egressed and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard around 1215.
The airplane was recovered two days later and has been retained for further examination.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 2970G Make/Model: PA28 Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
Date: 08/22/2012 Time: 1510
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: BROOKSVILLE State: FL Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE 1 PERSON ON BOARD WAS RESCUED
BY THE COAST GUARD, NEAR BROOKSVILLE, FL
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 1 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: TAMPA, FL (SO35) Entry date: 08/23/2012
(PHOTO/USCG)
The pilot of the crashed plane was flown back to land by a Coast Guard helicopter Wednesday afternoon.
(PHOTO/PCSO)
This photo from the Pasco Co. Sheriff’s Office shows the plane almost submerged in the Gulf of Mexico waters.
HERNANDO BEACH — A Coast Guard air crew proved Wednesday that practice makes perfect.
The Clearwater-based crew was heading out on a training operation when they were thrust into a real-life rescue mission. Reports of a downed plane came over the radio moments before they were to depart.
The distressed plane went down shortly after 11 a.m., landing in the Gulf of Mexico in 3 feet of water about 1 mile west of Hernando Beach.
The pilot, who was traveling alone, survived and was able to swim to a marsh and call for help, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the Piper fixed-wing single engine plane — which had been en route from Knoxville, Tenn., to the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport — lost power before crashing. The plane is registered to Turbo Arrow Aviation LLC out of Knoxville.
Around the same time, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater Lts. Tom Huntley and Tyler Monez, co-pilots of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, were preparing to head out with a swimmer and a flight mechanic on a training mission to practice making water rescues.
After getting a call from the FAA, however, the Coast Guard dispatched the helicopter, as well as two boats from its stations in Yankeetown and Sand Key, to Hernando.
Huntley and Monez squinted through the heavy wind-driven rain that left only a quarter-mile of visibility. But they couldn’t spot the plane’s pilot, who called authorities to say that he could see the helicopter flying overhead.
Using the helicopter’s onboard cameras, the flight mechanic spotted the bright yellow color of the man’s life raft, which had blown ashore, and then the tail and wings of the man’s partially submerged plane.
The crew quickly hoisted the shivering man into their helicopter, where they gave him a quick medical check and dry clothes before hauling him back to their Clearwater base for further observation.
The crew believes a combination of engine problems and inclement weather contributed to the crash.
“He was very thankful,” Huntley said. “I think he was a little bit in shock.”
The rescue pilots said the pilot, who didn’t want to be identified and was released early Wednesday afternoon, was “lucky.” However, they shrugged off the title “hero.”
“We train every day for that exact mission, so it was a pretty quick shift,” Huntley said, adding: “It’s just the job. It comes with wearing a green flight suit. That’s what we’re here for.”
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the pilot of a small plane that went into the Gulf of Mexico off Hernando Beach.
Petty Officer Michael DeNyse says a helicopter crew hoisted the man to safety just before noon Wednesday.
Authorities say the pilot of the Piper Arrow aircraft swam away from the wreckage and used his cell phone to call 911 about 11:30 a.m.
DeNyse says the pilot told the dispatcher he had just seen a Coast Guard helicopter fly by and asked if they could send it back.
The helicopter returned to the area and the man was taken to the Coast Guard base in Clearwater. DeNyse says the man was not injured.
There was no word on why the plane crashed.
A rescued pilot has been flown back to the Florida mainland after his small plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico off the Pasco County coast Wednesday morning.
The plane, a fixed wing single-engine Piper, crashed five miles off the coast near Aripeka, near the border of Pasco and Hernando Counties.
The U.S. Coast Guard picked up the pilot, who was the only person on board. Authorities said he was able to swim away from the wreckage and used his cell phone to call 911 around 11:30 a.m.
A Coast Guard helicopter flew the uninjured pilot to the Coast Guard base in Clearwater. He has not been identified, but officials said the man is from Knoxville, Tenn.
