What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 4, 2015, at aproximately 1210 PST, a Piper PA-18-150, serial number 18-8050, registration number N8075P departed gillespie field, el cajon CA., and traveled enroute to perform a banner towing operation along the Carlsbad CA shore line. The PIC (pilot in command), privacy data omitted, was transitioning VFR northbound through crq class d airspace at the shoreline west of the field. The pilot privacy data omitted, lost engine power after approximately 3 hours 15 minutes of flight time and declared an emergency and stated that he would be landing on the beach approximately 4 miles northwest of crq airport. The aircraftupon landing flipped after landing partially in water upside down.
On July 6, 2015, a san diego FSDO inspector and FAA iic inspected the aircraft which was moved to a jet source hanger on palomar airport. The initial inspection revealed the following:
1. The fuel selector was in the off position
2. The fuel site gauge on the left wing indicated empty and the right wing site gauage indicated full
3. No fuel was in the gascolator
On July 7, 2015, an interview with the pilot was held in the san diego flight standards district office. The pilot, privacy data omitted, provided the following information:
-Before departing ksee for his banner tow, both left and right fuel were filled to capacity by jet air fuel. Both tanks were inspected and sumped by the pilot. The fuel selector was set in the left tank position for the duration of aircraft operation.
-The airplane operated normally for 3 hours 15 minutes prior to loss of engine power
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 4, 2015, AT APROXIMATELY 1210 PST, A PIPER PA-18-150, SERIAL NUMBER 18-8050, REGISTRATION NUMBER N8075P DEPARTED GILLESPIE FIELD, EL CAJON CA., AND TRAVELED ENROUTE TO PERFORM A BANNER TOWING OPERATION ALONG THE CARLSBAD CA SHORE LINE. THE PIC (PILOT IN COMMAND), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS TRANSITIONING VFR NORTHBOUND THROUGH CRQ CLASS D AIRSPACE AT THE SHORELINE WEST OF THE FIELD. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LOST ENGINE POWER AFTER APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND STATED THAT HE WOULD BE LANDING ON THE BEACH APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF CRQ AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFTUPON LANDING FLIPPED AFTER LANDING PARTIALLY IN WATER UPSIDE DOWN.
ON JULY 6, 2015, A SAN DIEGO FSDO INSPECTOR AND FAA IIC INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS MOVED TO A JET SOURCE HANGER ON PALOMAR AIRPORT.THE INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALED THE FOLLOWING:
1. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE OFF POSITION
2. THE FUEL SITE GAUGE ON THE LEFT WING INDICATED EMPTY AND THE RIGHT WING SITE GAUAGE INDICATED FULL
3. NO FUEL WAS IN THE GASCOLATOR
ON JULY 7, 2015, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT WAS HELD IN THE SAN DIEGO FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE. THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
-BEFORE DEPARTING KSEE FOR HIS BANNER TOW, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL WERE FILLED TO CAPACITY BY JET AIR FUEL. BOTH TANKS WERE INSPECTED AND SUMPED BY THE PILOT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION FOR THE DURATION OF AIRCRAFT OPERATION.
-THE AIRPLANE OPERATED NORMALLY FOR 3 HOURS 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER
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 N8075P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.