Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board
Location: Marathon, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA347
Date & Time: 09/16/2017, 0855 EDT
Registration: N3187V
Aircraft: BEECH 35
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On September 16, 2017, about 0855 eastern daylight time, a Beech 35, N3187V, was substantially damaged while ditching in the Gulf of Mexico, following a total loss of engine power about 10 miles west of Marathon, Florida. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was operated by the private pilot and conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 0745.
The pilot reported that he and a business partner planned to survey damage to his business partner's home on No Name Key, Florida. They flew to the home, circled it at a low altitude, took photographs, and began a climb back to cruise altitude for the return to FXE. About 800 to 1,000 ft above mean sea level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot prepared to ditch as the airplane would not glide far enough to reach land. He also attempted two engine restarts with no success, and reported the emergency to air traffic control. The pilot attempted two more engine restarts using the wobble fuel pump and electric fuel pump. He then attempted another restart using the electric fuel pump with no success. The pilot added that the propeller continued to windmill during the restart attempts. The pilot landed on the water with the landing gear and flaps retracted. The airplane came to rest upright and both occupants were rescued by law enforcement personnel.
According to the president of a recovery company, the airplane was recovered 12 days later, on September 28, 2017. The airplane appeared to be intact and was resting on a sandy bottom. When the airplane was floated to the surface of the water, a fuel sheen was observed on the water surface. Following recovery, no fuel or water was noted in the left wing fuel tank and approximately 1 gallon of a fuel and water mixture was recovered from the right wing fuel tank. The president of the recovery company added that he was unable to rotate the propeller, possibly due to corrosion.
The pilot further stated that he used REC-90, a 90 octane, ethanol free gasoline in the airplane and stored the gasoline in his hangar. After every flight, he completely fueled the airplane from the gasoline storage to prevent condensation from accumulating in the fuel tanks. Prior to the accident flight, he last flew the airplane on September 11, 2017, for .6 hours and added 6 gallons of gasoline after he landed. He also inspected the fuel tanks during the preflight inspection for the accident flight, and both fuel tanks were full. He recalled being burned from fuel in the water and noted that a recovery diver made the same comment. The pilot subsequently provided a receipt indicating that he most recently purchased 30 gallons of REC-90 on September 5, 2017.
Initial examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuselage was buckled during the ditching. The inspector further examined the wreckage at a recovery facility and specifically examined the engine driven fuel pump as the pilot thought that the pump might have failed. The engine driven fuel pump drive shaft remained intact. The inspector was able to actuate the pump by hand and did not note any anomalies with the pump. Due to extensive corrosion damage, the inspector was unable to rotate the engine crankshaft.
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable tricycle-gear airplane, serial number D-623, was manufactured in 1947. It was powered by a Continental E185, 185-horsepower engine, equipped with a constant-speed, two-blade Hartzell propeller. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on April 27, 2017. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 3,768.4 hours of operation and the engine had accumulated 72 hours since major overhaul. The airplane had flown about 35 hours, from the time of the most recent annual inspection, until the accident.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 56, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/11/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 601 hours (Total, all aircraft), 421 hours (Total, this make and model), 509 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 35 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 20 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: BEECH
Registration: N3187V
Model/Series: 35 UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1947
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: D-623
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/27/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2562 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 35 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3768 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: E-185-8
Registered Owner: RONIN AERO GROUP LLC
Rated Power: 185
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MTH, 5 ft msl
Observation Time: 0853 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 1600 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 30°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots, 40°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Fort Lauderdale, FL (FXE)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Fort Lauderdale, FL (FXE)
Type of Clearance: VFR Flight Following
Departure Time: 0745 EDT
Type of Airspace:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 24.725556, -81.228889 (est)
Location: Marathon, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA347
Date & Time: 09/16/2017, 0855 EDT
Registration: N3187V
Aircraft: BEECH 35
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On September 16, 2017, about 0855 eastern daylight time, a Beech 35, N3187V, operated by the private pilot, was substantially damaged while ditching in the Gulf of Mexico, following a total loss of engine power about 10 miles west of Marathon, Florida. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 0745.
The pilot reported that he and a business partner planned to survey damage to his business partner's home on No Name Key, Florida. They flew to the home, circled it at a lower altitude, took photographs, and began a climb back to cruise altitude for the return to FXE. About 800 to 1,000 feet above mean sea level, the engine lost all power. The pilot prepared to ditch as the airplane would not glide far enough to reach land. He also attempted two engine restarts with no success, and reported the emergency to air traffic control. The pilot attempted two more engine restarts using the wobble fuel pump and electric fuel pump. He then attempted another restart using the electric fuel pump with no success. The pilot landed on the water with the landing gear and flaps retracted. The airplane came to rest upright and both occupants were rescued by law enforcement.
According to the president of a recovery company, the airplane was recovered 12 days later, on September 28, 2017. The airplane appeared to be intact and was resting on a sandy bottom. Following recovery, no fuel or water was noted in the left wing fuel tank and approximately 1 gallon of a fuel and water mixture was recovered from the right wing fuel tank.
Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuselage was buckled during the ditching. The wreckage was retained for further examination.
ReplyDeleteFolks, water will get into the tank and float nearly every drop of fuel out of the vents over a period of days.
Same happens with lawn mowers, etc that have exposed vents like airplanes when these submerge in a flood. Not so much with cars as modern tanks are not vented the same way.
I once had an unsecured 5 gal Evinrude fuel tank inside a boat that sank due to a broken fitting. I refloated the boat a day later and pleasantly found the tank inverted and floating (heaviest parts normally on top) and there was no fuel leak at all. All the fuel was still inside and trapped upward inside the inverted tank. A good design!
Good outcome in a dicey situation! Pilot got thru his restart checklists quickly and still managed to stay ahead of a fast plane at low altitude with a big sink rate to get it stopped right side up with no injuries. Odds were against them landing a low wing on the water. Even got an interesting photo out of the experience.
ReplyDeleteI was required to be at the ramp when they were pulling a plane out of the water. This whole thing this whole salvage thing was seriously screwed up. The fuel gages showed approximately 28 gallons of fuel in the two tanks when I went in that water that’s the first thing you check your fuel, it was a 1947 bonanza with the pressurized carburetor. I switched tanks as we were approaching big pine key. The right tank is your main tank, that means that 4 gallons and hours return back to the right tank when you’re running the left tank, plus the Plane carries 39 gallons of fuel of which 34 are usable, that means 2 1/2 gallons permanently reside in each tank. if there is no fuel on that plane and that plane ran out of gas, you would have a minimum of 5 gallons on board, I brought this to the Faa and NTSB‘s attention along with the receipts of the fuel, this went down as an unknown engine failure, I believe that salvage company when they lifted that plane and put it on balloons m,drained the fuel in tow, that’s my opinion. when they brought the plane to the dock, they were going to cut the wings off it to haul it away, they brought nothing to put the fuel in That reinforces my belief that they never had intentions of having to drain the fuel out of those tanks at the dock, because they drained it in tow. The head of the crew even mentioned to the insurance Man that he was going to drain the fuel into the golf the insurance guy says you need to dispose of it properly, The salvage guy said, that will cost more money.. The insurance company says we will pay it so he left the plane on the ramp Overnight and we’re supposed to Drain it the the next day. That whole fuel thing sounded fishy, again I noted 27 to 28 gallons of fuel in those tanks which is about right , the plane burns 11 to 12 gallons an hour. I flew it for 40 minutes
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, the president. The salvage company says that they found nothing but air in the right tank and 1 gallon of fuel and water mixture in the left, which is also total baloney. Just based on the way to fuel system was designed they would not be just air in the right tank. That would be completely impossible. if the water did lift the fuel out because the fuel is lighter than the water, both tanks will be full of water
ReplyDelete