What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot reported that the engine began surging on the return to airport portion of the flight. Aircraft engine quit, aircraft was losing altitude and PIC elected to land in beach dunes to avoid people on hard packed beach. Left main gear touchdown collapsed gear, nose gear impacted and ripped nose gear from the aircraft. Aircraft came to rest approximately 150 feet from initial impact point with substantial damage to the lower firewall and "tunnel" area, left wing tip spar, right wing tip spar. Right side fuselage (baggage area), MLG and propeller. Post accident examination noted that there is no residual fuel in either fuel tank. The strainer drain cable was disconnected from the strainer because the lower firewall (including the strainer assembly was pushed back by impact), the fuel hose to the carburetor was disconnected from the carburetor by a broken fitting. There was a strong odor of avgas from the engine area, internally from both fuel tanks but no liquid fuel was observed from any points on the aircraft. Reports from first responders indicated the passenger seat was partially or completely detached from the tracks. Noted pilot's seat had the left rear leg detached from the track. Battery master contactor activation wire was contacting the left lower engine mount washer which was intermittently applying power to the aircraft. Noted ELT in armed position and still broadcasting signal at 1045 on 7/9/19. Deactivated ELT and disconnected aircraft battery positive cable.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN SURGING ON THE RETURN TO AIRPORT PORTION OF THE FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT ENGINE QUIT, AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE AND PIC ELECTED TO LAND IN BEACH DUNES TO AVOID PEOPLE ON HARD PACKED BEACH. LEFT MAIN GEAR TOUCHDOWN COLLAPSED GEAR, NOSE GEAR IMPACTED AND RIPPED NOSE GEAR FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM INITIAL IMPACT POINT WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LOWER FIREWALL AND "TUNNEL" AREA, LEFT WING TIP SPAR, RIGHT WING TIP SPAR. RIGHT SIDE FUSELAGE (BAGGAGE AREA), MLG AND PROPELLER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION NOTED THAT THERE IS NO RESIDUAL FUEL IN EITHER FUEL TANK. THE STRAINER DRAIN CABLE WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE STRAINER BECAUSE THE LOWER FIREWALL (INCLUDING THE STRAINER ASSEMBLY WAS PUSHED BACK BY IMPACT), THE FUEL HOSE TO THE CARBURETOR WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE CARBURETOR BY A BROKEN FITTING. THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF AVGAS FROM THE ENGINE AREA, INTERNALLY FROM BOTH FUEL TANKS BUT NO LIQUID FUEL WAS OBSERVED FROM ANY POINTS ON THE AIRCRAFT. REPORTS FROM FIRST RESPONDERS INDICATED THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE TRACKS. NOTED PILOT'S SEAT HAD THE LEFT REAR LEG DETACHED FROM THE TRACK. BATTERY MASTER CONTACTOR ACTIVATION WIRE WAS CONTACTING THE LEFT LOWER ENGINE MOUNT WASHER WHICH WAS INTERMITTENTLY APPLYING POWER TO THE AIRCRAFT. NOTED ELT IN ARMED POSITION AND STILL BROADCASTING SIGNAL AT 1045 ON 7/9/19. DEACTIVATED ELT AND DISCONNECTED AIRCRAFT BATTERY POSITIVE CABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.