20010923029329A

(-23) After unsuccessfully attempting an instrument approach into pelston, MI, Mr. Rice diverted to Harbor Springs, MI. During an unsuccessful attempt to perform an IMC instrument approach into Harbor Springs, MI, N952JW ran out of fuel. The aircraft was substantially damaged during a power off landing on a lake Michigan beach near petosky, MI. (.19) on September 23, 2001, at 1435 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N952JW, piloted by a commercial pilot was substantially damaged when the airplane impacted rocks and nosed over while performing a forced landing onto a shoreline at petoskey, Michigan. Prior to the accident the airplane had lost power in both engines. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted on an instrument flight rules plan under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot and 1 of the 6 passengers on board the airplane sustained minor injuries. The remaining 5 passengers reported no injuries. The cross-country flight originated at mackinac island, Michigan, and was en route to pellston, Michigan. In his statement, the pilot said that the previous evening the y had flown from pontiac, Michigan, to mackinac island. He said that he figured the people, baggage, and fuel for the trip and determined that there would be enough fuel to fly from pontiac to mackinac island, and then from mackinac island to pellston, Michigan. The pilot said he planned to refuel at pellston because they don't sell fuel at the mackinac island airport. He said that when he taxied out for departure from mackinac island, he had 12 gallons of fuel in each tank. He said that pellston was 10 minutes away. The pilot said the clearance given him was after takeoff to fly a 090 degree heading, climb and maintain 3,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) and contact minneapolis air route traffic control center (ARTCC). The pilot said that ARTCC instructed him to fly direct to the outer marker for the ILS approach. He said he was cleared for the approach. The pilot said that the directions he was given resulted in him flying a 90-degree intercept to the localizer. He said he went through the localizer course. The pilot told the ARTCC controller what happened and that he had low fuel. He said the controller told him to do a left turn and climb to 6,000 feet MSL to intercept the glide slope. The pilot said, "I recalled asking her are you sure [about] 6,000 feet?" He said he wound up established on the localizer, 2 miles from the outer marker for the approach, at 6,000 feet MSL. The published altitude to cross the outer maker was 2,400 feet MSL. The pilot said he lowered the landing gear and reduced the power to idle. He said as he approached the outer marker the glide slope was coming in. The pilot said it wasn't right and broke off the approach at 1,200 feet MSL. As he performed the missed approach, the pilot said he asked ARTCC if other pilots were having trouble getting into pellston on the ILS? The ARTCC controller said everyone else was missing there. The pilot asked where everyone was going? The ARTCC controller said charlevoix [municipal airport, charlevoix, Michigan]. The pilot said he couldn't find the airport on the map. The pilot said at this point he had to stop and catch his breath. He then told the controller he was "not reporting charlevoix". The controller then told him to proceed to Harbor Springs [municipal airport, Harbor Springs, Michigan]. They have an RNAV. The pilot said he had RNAV equipment, but I couldn't program it in. He said that artccsent him to charlevoix, back to pellston, then to Harbor Springs. He said that at this point, he was very low on fuel. Then the right engine failed. The pilot told ARTCC "get me down now". He said at this time ARTCC switched controllers. The pilot said the new controller came on and said he would give him vectors to Harbor Springs (D87). The controller told the pilot that he was over Harbor Springs. The pilot said, "I wasn't over D87. I was over petoskey." The pilot said the airplane came through the clouds. He was 300 to 400 feet above the water. He said he could see the shoreline to his left. The pilot said he made a 30-degree turn toward the shore. He said he put down the landing gear and put the airplane down in the shallow water. The pilot said he was unaware of how much time elapsed during the flight. "I don't know if it was 10 minutes or an hour and a half." The pilot said he lost the right engine approximately 4 to 6 minutes before losing the left engine. He said he recalled telling ARTCC, "my right engine just went out, I'm single engine." A federal aviation administration inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The airplane was found resting inverted on the rocks of the shoreline approximately 20 yards north of u. s. highway 31 at petoskey. The nose of the airplane aft to the forward cabin bulkhead, which included the forward baggage compartment and nose gear, was broken aft. The forward cabin bulkhead was crushed downward and buckled forward. The windscreen was broken out. The top of the airplane at the front of the cabin was crushed downward. The front and bottom of the left engine cowling was broken aft. The left propeller was broken off at the flange. The fuselage aft of the aft baggage compartment was bent downward. The top portion of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were crushed downward. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the airplane's engines, engines controls, and other systems showed no anomalies.