What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 25, 2012, at approximately 0940 local time, N8908N, a 1969 Piper model PA-32-300 cherokee six aircraft operated by air excursions, LLC (yaxa) of Gustavus, Alaska, experienced a complete loss of engine power in flight. The 14 CFR part 135 scheduled commuter flight departed juneau international airport (jnu) en route to Gustavus airport (gus) with the pilot and four passengers, when, over icy straight in the vicinity of porpoise island, the engine started vibrating and stopped running. The commercial pilot elected to execute an engine-out landing at goose point, pleasant island, Alaska on a stretch of beach made available by the low tide. The landing was uneventful until the nose wheel struck a partially buried rock in the soft beach sand which failed the nose landing gear aft. The pilot and passengers were not injured and were transferred to Gustavus by boat. The aircraft was recovered by coastal helicopters and sling-loaded to Gustavus. The owner of the company took pictures at the scene of the aircraft, engine and propeller.Lycoming airmelt crankshaft p/n 76763 s/n 51708 failed and broke in half at the counterweights. #6 connecting rod end-cap struck camshaft between #6 intake and exhaust lobes, fracturing camshaft resulting in engine failure.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 25, 2012, AT APPROXIMATELY 0940 LOCAL TIME, N8908N, A 1969 PIPER MODEL PA-32-300 CHEROKEE SIX AIRCRAFT OPERATED BY AIR EXCURSIONS, LLC (YAXA) OF GUSTAVUS, ALASKA, EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN FLIGHT. THE 14 CFR PART 135 SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT DEPARTED JUNEAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (JNU) EN ROUTE TO GUSTAVUS AIRPORT (GUS) WITH THE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS, WHEN, OVER ICY STRAIGHT IN THE VICINITY OF PORPOISE ISLAND, THE ENGINE STARTED VIBRATING AND STOPPED RUNNING.THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE AN ENGINE-OUT LANDING AT GOOSE POINT, PLEASANT ISLAND, ALASKA ON A STRETCH OF BEACH MADE AVAILABLE BY THE LOW TIDE. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK A PARTIALLY BURIED ROCK IN THE SOFT BEACH SAND WHICH FAILED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR AFT.THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED AND WERE TRANSFERRED TO GUSTAVUS BY BOAT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED BY COASTAL HELICOPTERS AND SLING-LOADED TO GUSTAVUS. THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY TOOK PICTURES AT THE SCENE OF THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE AND PROPELLER.LYCOMING AIRMELT CRANKSHAFT P/N 76763 S/N 51708 FAILED AND BROKE IN HALF AT THE COUNTERWEIGHTS. #6 CONNECTING ROD END-CAP STRUCK CAMSHAFT BETWEEN #6 INTAKE AND EXHAUST LOBES, FRACTURING CAMSHAFT RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8908N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.