# Accident 19990318002429A: Gulstm 500B, Shelter Cove, CA, March 18, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 1999, 18:35 local time
- Place: Shelter Cove, CA
- Airport: Shelter Cove Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0282° N, 124.0743° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SHELTER COVE (0Q5), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0282&lon=-124.0743&mi=10
- Aircraft: CFBCR (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: GULSTM 500B
- Reported engine: LYC IO540B1C5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,400 total, 32 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990318002429A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER SOUTHBOUND TAKE-OFF FROM SHELTER COVE AIRPORT (0Q5), CA, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER, AS REPORTED BY THE PILOT AND PASSENGER. BOTH ENGINES QUIT, AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A GEAR-UP SURF LANDING. (.4) PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HIS AIRPLANE CONTAINED BETWEEN 30 AND 40 GALLONS OF FUEL, ADEQUATE FOR A 15-MINUTE-LONG FLIGHT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WHERE HE COULD PURCHASE ADDITIONAL FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THE FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED 40 GALLONS, SO HE DEPARTED.  DURING INITIAL CLIMB UPON REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE OCEAN, BOTH ENGINES SIMULTANEOUSLY LOST POWER.  THE PILOT ROCKED THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS AND EXPERIENCED A 'SHORT SURGE OF POWER.'  HOWEVER, IT LASTED ONLY A BRIEF MOMENT AND ALL ENGINE POWER WAS AGAIN TOTALLY LOST.  THE PILOT TURNED TOWARD THE SHORELINE, REDUCED AIRSPEED, AND DITCHED ABOUT 0.25 MILES OFF SHORE.  THE OVERNIGHT TIDE/WAVE ACTION SUBSEQUENTLY BEACHED MOST OF THE AIRPLANE.  IN THE PILOT'S REPORT, HE DID NOT INDICATE HAVING EXPERIENCED ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.  THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) COORDINATOR EXAMINED RECOVERED PORTIONS OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINES.  IN PERTINENT PART, THE FAA REPORTED FINDING NO  PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE EXAMINED COMPONENTS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE AIRFRAME DAMAGE SUSTAINED DURING IMMERSION IN THE SALT WATER AND THE SUBSEQUENT DESTRUCTION TO COMPONENTS, THE SAFETY BOARD WAS UNABLE TO DOCUMENT THE INTEGRITY OF THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR SYSTEM.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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