20120723018699A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-25-235 · Off Of Westerly, RI · July 23, 2012

Date: July 23, 2012 · 14:55 local
Place: Off Of Westerly, RI
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7313Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12LA474
Reported as: Piper PA-25-235
Reported engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,250 total700 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N7313ZRegistered now · Piper PA-25-235S/N 25-3245 · Built 1965 Airframe modelPiper PA-25-235 Engine modelLycoming O-540-B4B5Reciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft departed Westerly, RI (wst) for a banner towing operation along the shore of block island, RI. The pilot reports that while in cruise flight at 650 feet over block island sound, the engine shuddered violently and immediately began losing power. Carburator heat was applied with no effect. The pilot issued a mayday call and prepared for a water landing. The impact caused the main landing gear assemblies to seperate from the aircraft. The pilot jumped into the water and reports that the aircraft sank almost immediately. Using the two landing gear assemblies for flotation, the pilot remained in the water for about an hour before being picked up by a good samaritan.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WESTERLY, RI (WST) FOR A BANNER TOWING OPERATION ALONG THE SHORE OF BLOCK ISLAND, RI. THE PILOT REPORTS THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 650 FEET OVER BLOCK ISLAND SOUND, THE ENGINE SHUDDERED VIOLENTLY AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN LOSING POWER. CARBURATOR HEAT WAS APPLIED WITH NO EFFECT. THE PILOT ISSUED A MAYDAY CALL AND PREPARED FOR A WATER LANDING. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLIES TO SEPERATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT JUMPED INTO THE WATER AND REPORTS THAT THE AIRCRAFT SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. USING THE TWO LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLIES FOR FLOTATION, THE PILOT REMAINED IN THE WATER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE BEING PICKED UP BY A GOOD SAMARITAN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA12LA474Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWesterly, RIA total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined due to the postaccident salt water-damaged state of the engine.Jul 23, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7313Z · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19851113056879ALow Level Operations · Holly, COStruck powerlines, fell to ground and burned during simulated spraying run. No mechanical malfunction found.Nov 13, 1985 · Destroyed