Aircraft equipment problem. Engine quit, cause unk. Aircraft landed in water due to pedestrians on b...

Attributes
ACN	337112
Time
Date	199605
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cre
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cre artcc : zkc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 43 flight time total : 715 flight time type : 43
ASRS Report	337112
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Conditions: flying over water 600 ft inbound to drop banner at airport in smooth air. Confign: cruise flight, mixture leaned for best power. Fuel gauges indicating 1/8 - 1/4 on left side. 1/4 - 1/2 on right side. Flight duration from start was 4 hours 10 mins. I was banner towing in the myrtle beach area when the engine sputtered and immediately failed. I went through my restart procedures immediately. The engine did not respond so I had to land in the water. I was unable to land on the beach because of pedestrians. The aircraft was initially upside down and then eventually righted itself. Fuel did spill into the water. I myself was not hurt and the aircraft was intact. The only damage to the aircraft was a broken windshield and the vertical stabilizer leading edge was slightly damaged. I am unsure of the reason for the engine malfunction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. ENG QUIT, CAUSE UNK. ACFT LANDED IN WATER DUE TO PEDESTRIANS ON BEACH FRONT.

Narrative: CONDITIONS: FLYING OVER WATER 600 FT INBOUND TO DROP BANNER AT ARPT IN SMOOTH AIR. CONFIGN: CRUISE FLT, MIXTURE LEANED FOR BEST PWR. FUEL GAUGES INDICATING 1/8 - 1/4 ON L SIDE. 1/4 - 1/2 ON R SIDE. FLT DURATION FROM START WAS 4 HRS 10 MINS. I WAS BANNER TOWING IN THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA WHEN THE ENG SPUTTERED AND IMMEDIATELY FAILED. I WENT THROUGH MY RESTART PROCS IMMEDIATELY. THE ENG DID NOT RESPOND SO I HAD TO LAND IN THE WATER. I WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE BEACH BECAUSE OF PEDESTRIANS. THE ACFT WAS INITIALLY UPSIDE DOWN AND THEN EVENTUALLY RIGHTED ITSELF. FUEL DID SPILL INTO THE WATER. I MYSELF WAS NOT HURT AND THE ACFT WAS INTACT. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND THE VERT STABILIZER LEADING EDGE WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. I AM UNSURE OF THE REASON FOR THE ENG MALFUNCTION.

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.

Aircraft equipment problem. Engine quit, cause unk. Aircraft landed in water due to pedestrians on beach front.