What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The accident involving N5765H, a Mooney M20J, was the result of loss of engine power. At the time the loss of power occurred when aircraft N5765H was beginning the turn to base from an extended downwind for runway 31 at st. Augustine airport (ksgj). The extended downwind was requested by ksgj ATCT for traffic separation.
The pilot stated that when the airplane began to loose power, he verified the boost pump was on and fuel selector was on the fullest tank. There was minimal time to trouble shoot.
The pilot determined that a forced landing/ditching was imminent and focused on getting the aircraft safely to the surface.
The pilot stated he notified the ATCT of the emergency, retracted the gear, set up a glide when he committed to the forced landing. The pilot stated that he then turned the magnetos off, the boost pump off, briefed the passenger, and opened the door in preparation for the forced landing.
The aircraft came to rest in the marsh approximately 1 mile from runway 31 at the 7-8 o'clock position facing approximately 300 degrees.
The pilot and passenger were able to exit the aircraft and were taken to safety by local boaters. The pilot suffered minor injuries and the passenger suffered a broken arm.
The aircraft spent 2 days in brackish water. At times it was totally submerged based on the tides.
Upon aircraft recovery, it was determined that the fuel selector was on the fullest fuel tank and there was fuel in that tank (approx. 20 gal). It was also determined that the throttle, prop, and mixture controls were full forward, the boost pump was in the off position, and the mag switch was in the off position. There was severe damage to right wing leading edged but no evidence that the airplane struck something prior to touchdown. The aircraft had minor damage underneath. The aircraft suffered obvious water damage due to the time spent under water.
As the FAA filed it
THE ACCIDENT INVOLVING N5765H, A MOONEY M20J, WAS THE RESULT OF LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AT THE TIME THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WHEN AIRCRAFT N5765H WAS BEGINNING THE TURN TO BASE FROM AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 31 AT ST. AUGUSTINE AIRPORT (KSGJ). THE EXTENDED DOWNWIND WAS REQUESTED BY KSGJ ATCT FOR TRAFFIC SEPARATION.
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER, HE VERIFIED THE BOOST PUMP WAS ON AND FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE FULLEST TANK. THERE WAS MINIMAL TIME TO TROUBLE SHOOT.
THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT A FORCED LANDING/DITCHING WAS IMMINENT AND FOCUSED ON GETTING THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY TO THE SURFACE.
THE PILOT STATED HE NOTIFIED THE ATCT OF THE EMERGENCY, RETRACTED THE GEAR, SET UP A GLIDE WHEN HE COMMITTED TO THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN TURNED THE MAGNETOS OFF, THE BOOST PUMP OFF, BRIEFED THE PASSENGER, AND OPENED THE DOOR IN PREPARATION FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE MARSH APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM RUNWAY 31 AT THE 7-8 O'CLOCK POSITION FACING APPROXIMATELY 300 DEGREES.
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE TAKEN TO SAFETY BY LOCAL BOATERS. THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM.
THE AIRCRAFT SPENT 2 DAYS IN BRACKISH WATER. AT TIMES IT WAS TOTALLY SUBMERGED BASED ON THE TIDES.
UPON AIRCRAFT RECOVERY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE FULLEST FUEL TANK AND THERE WAS FUEL IN THAT TANK (APPROX. 20 GAL). IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE, PROP, AND MIXTURE CONTROLS WERE FULL FORWARD, THE BOOST PUMP WAS IN THE OFF POSITION, AND THE MAG SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING LEADING EDGED BUT NO EVIDENCE THAT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SOMETHING PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRCRAFT HAD MINOR DAMAGE UNDERNEATH. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED OBVIOUS WATER DAMAGE DUE TO THE TIME SPENT UNDER WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.