Small aircraft has rough running engine, sputters, quits. Lands on beach.

Attributes
ACN	215311
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oth
State Reference	OR
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	215311
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flying en route from aurora, or, to north bend, or, in an small aircraft. Over the umpqua river area on V-287 I experienced an engine sputter. I then reached down and switched tanks. After switching tanks the engine quit. The closest place for a safe landing, bringing no hazard to persons or property was the beach north 2 mi from the north jetty of winchester bay, or. I notified only north bend unicom on 122.7 of my intentions and declared no emergency to them of flight service, because a safe landing was possible. I made a safe landing on the beach and there was absolutely no damage done to the aircraft. The a and P mechanic determined the problem to have been water in the fuel causing the engine failure. There was only myself, the pilot, on board on a pleasure flight, and I suffered no injuries and the aircraft was undamaged. The FAA district office in hillsboro, or, were notified by coast guard and the message was conveyed to myself that I could have the aircraft repaired on site and fly it off the beach. I did so the following morning. The aircraft was inspected and no damage was found.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ROUGH RUNNING ENG, SPUTTERS, QUITS. LANDS ON BEACH.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ENRTE FROM AURORA, OR, TO N BEND, OR, IN AN SMA. OVER THE UMPQUA RIVER AREA ON V-287 I EXPERIENCED AN ENG SPUTTER. I THEN REACHED DOWN AND SWITCHED TANKS. AFTER SWITCHING TANKS THE ENG QUIT. THE CLOSEST PLACE FOR A SAFE LNDG, BRINGING NO HAZARD TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY WAS THE BEACH N 2 MI FROM THE N JETTY OF WINCHESTER BAY, OR. I NOTIFIED ONLY N BEND UNICOM ON 122.7 OF MY INTENTIONS AND DECLARED NO EMER TO THEM OF FLT SVC, BECAUSE A SAFE LNDG WAS POSSIBLE. I MADE A SAFE LNDG ON THE BEACH AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO DAMAGE DONE TO THE ACFT. THE A AND P MECH DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO HAVE BEEN WATER IN THE FUEL CAUSING THE ENG FAILURE. THERE WAS ONLY MYSELF, THE PLT, ON BOARD ON A PLEASURE FLT, AND I SUFFERED NO INJURIES AND THE ACFT WAS UNDAMAGED. THE FAA DISTRICT OFFICE IN HILLSBORO, OR, WERE NOTIFIED BY COAST GUARD AND THE MESSAGE WAS CONVEYED TO MYSELF THAT I COULD HAVE THE ACFT REPAIRED ON SITE AND FLY IT OFF THE BEACH. I DID SO THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.