What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 22, 2015, at about 18:55 eastern daylight savings time, aircraft was traveling south on a 14 CFR 91 (aircraft was rented) flight was returning to palm Beach county park airport (klna) from palm Beach county glades airport (kphk) after circling around the lighthouse in jupiter, Florida and lost power. The certificated private pilot landed on the Beach near the 5200 block of north ocean drive behind the corniche condominium. The nose landing gear collapsed upon landing, resulting in damage to the engine firewall. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Aircraft was removed from the Beach prior to this offices inspection of the aircraft due to a prevailing ocean tide approaching which would have resulted in an environmental hazard. The aircraft was taken to a storage facility outside of this office district area. During removal salvage crew stated that they removed 5 gallons of fuel from the left wing and 7 gallons of fuel from the right wing. Photos provided from the salvage crew did not show external evidence of an engine mechanical failure. Pilot reported that ?engine stalled? And a restart was attempted without success. Last medical examination of the pilot was on 04-06-2010. Medical certificate was over two months expired.
September 09, 2015: received notification from NTSB iic that they have downgraded this accident from a limited investigation to a data collection report as it appears there is no evidence of any pre impact malfunction or failure of the engine as the pilot did not use carburetor heat.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 22, 2015, AT ABOUT 18:55 EASTERN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON A 14 CFR 91 (AIRCRAFT WAS RENTED) FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO PALM BEACH COUNTY PARK AIRPORT (KLNA) FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY GLADES AIRPORT (KPHK) AFTER CIRCLING AROUND THE LIGHTHOUSE IN JUPITER, FLORIDA AND LOST POWER. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT LANDED ON THE BEACH NEAR THE 5200 BLOCK OF NORTH OCEAN DRIVE BEHIND THE CORNICHE CONDOMINIUM. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON LANDING, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FIREWALL. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BEACH PRIOR TO THIS OFFICES INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO A PREVAILING OCEAN TIDE APPROACHING WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAKEN TO A STORAGE FACILITY OUTSIDE OF THIS OFFICE DISTRICT AREA. DURING REMOVAL SALVAGE CREW STATED THAT THEY REMOVED 5 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE LEFT WING AND 7 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE RIGHT WING. PHOTOS PROVIDED FROM THE SALVAGE CREW DID NOT SHOW EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE MECHANICAL FAILURE. PILOT REPORTED THAT ?ENGINE STALLED? AND A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED WITHOUT SUCCESS. LAST MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT WAS ON 04-06-2010. MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS OVER TWO MONTHS EXPIRED.
SEPTEMBER 09, 2015: RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM NTSB IIC THAT THEY HAVE DOWNGRADED THIS ACCIDENT FROM A LIMITED INVESTIGATION TO A DATA COLLECTION REPORT AS IT APPEARS THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE IMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AS THE PILOT DID NOT USE CARBURETOR HEAT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.