What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: on June 18, 1996 at approximately 1330 hours a Piper PA-18A-135, N8061C piloted by edward f. moniot, a commercial pilot experienced some difficulties while towing a banner along the new jersey beach. The pilot switched fuel tanks at the end of sea isle city (turn around point) and about five minutes later the engine quit. The airman switched back to the original tank with negative results and he landed in the ocean. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a flight plan had not been filed for this local operation. The pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft was not injured and the aircraft received only minor damage. The pilot stated that when the engine quit he switched back to the original fuel tank, simultaneously turned for the beach, dropped the banner and with no response from the engine realized he wasn't going to make the beach and landed the aircraft in shallow water. The pilot evacuated the aircraft with the aid of bystanders on the beach. We have suggested to the operator, that this airman will have to be retrained on the make and model(s) of banner tow aircraft he is expected to operate with emphasis on the various fuel systems installed on these aircraft. Paramount air service advised that airman moniot has been given full instructions in all their banner tow aircraft in respect to fuel management and he understands the operation of each one. Based on the above action(s) by the operator the FSDO considers this incident closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: ON JUNE 18, 1996 AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 HOURS A PIPER PA-18A-135, N8061C PILOTED BY EDWARD F. MONIOT, A COMMERCIAL PILOT EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTIES WHILE TOWING A BANNER ALONG THE NEW JERSEY BEACH. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AT THE END OF SEA ISLE CITY (TURN AROUND POINT) AND ABOUT FIVE MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRMAN SWITCHED BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TANK WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS AND HE LANDED IN THE OCEAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED FOR THIS LOCAL OPERATION. THE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE ORIGINAL FUEL TANK, SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNED FOR THE BEACH, DROPPED THE BANNER AND WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE REALIZED HE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE THE BEACH AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN SHALLOW WATER. THE PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE AID OF BYSTANDERS ON THE BEACH. WE HAVE SUGGESTED TO THE OPERATOR, THAT THIS AIRMAN WILL HAVE TO BE RETRAINED ON THE MAKE AND MODEL(S) OF BANNER TOW AIRCRAFT HE IS EXPECTED TO OPERATE WITH EMPHASIS ON THE VARIOUS FUEL SYSTEMS INSTALLED ON THESE AIRCRAFT. PARAMOUNT AIR SERVICE ADVISED THAT AIRMAN MONIOT HAS BEEN GIVEN FULL INSTRUCTIONS IN ALL THEIR BANNER TOW AIRCRAFT IN RESPECT TO FUEL MANAGEMENT AND HE UNDERSTANDS THE OPERATION OF EACH ONE. BASED ON THE ABOVE ACTION(S) BY THE OPERATOR THE FSDO CONSIDERS THIS INCIDENT CLOSED.
Other reports on N8061C · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.