20220819014789A

Marathon, FL: P28A, lost power and crashed into water 2.5 miles NE of mth. Boaters picked survivors.

Per the airman's statement, airman was operating a Piper (PA-28) departure from Florida key Marathon international airport (kmth) (uncontrolled airport). Right after take-off airman decided to return to the airport because the airplane was not climbing at the normal rate, and the engine died and landed at the water (northwest of the airport).

Upon recovery completed (initial inspection at mile marker 54 boat ramp), notice the following:

? Fuel select valve ? Left

? Magnetos - both

? Master switch - on

? Electrical fuel pump ? Off

? Fuel mixture ? Full rich

? Throttle ? Idle

? Flaps - up

After an inspection of the aircraft's airframe, propeller, and engine. The engine's total time since the last major overhaul was 862.55 hours.

The airman holds a private pilot certificate and stated that his flight logbook and ipad were both onboard and lost during the accident. The only faa-documented flight experience is a total time of 211 hours (FAA medical form 8500-8 dated 10/12/2021).

The airman was involved in another aircraft accident at north perry airport (khwo) on January 15, 2021, while operating an ultralight aircraft, stating that he experienced engine power loss.

During an inspection, the mechanic (inspecting) a&p/ia could not conclusively state that there was a mechanical engine malfunction.

Airman statement:

When I realized the plane was not climbing at its normal rate I told my passenger so, and said we are turning back. I got on the CT frequency and stated my intention and move for a left turn to joint the left downwind pattern for rwy 7 . At that point the engine was running and I was still climbing at what seemed like 50 feet per minute.

My intent was to climb to pattern altitude and join the downwind for 7 and do a normal landing on 7.

As I got to 500 feet that's when the engine just died. I had a shallow climb rate at that time so as not to stress the underperforming engine and my left turn bank was likewise at a minimal angle of attack.

When the engine died I felt a stall coming on, I pitched the nose down and established a good glide rate aimed at rwy 25 from about a 45 degree angle.

Again I announced on the CT an intent to land, this time on rwy 25 which was straight ahead in what seemed to me at 45 degree angle

It soon became apparent that I was too FAR out and too low to make 25 especially at my glide rate. Had I tried, I knew I would end up crashing in the residential neighborhood on the approach to 25.

I picked a water landing site I knew to be shallow and right next to an island.

I got on CT stated I was not going to make 25 and announced my intention to make a water landing north of 25.

The rest was an easy glide to my water landing site a very level and controlled landing until, of course the fixed gear sunk into the water causing the plane to roll over, which I expected and my passenger had been briefed pre-flight would happen in the event of an emergency water landing.

On the glide down I told my passenger to open the door as I had instructed during the pre-flight and I felt the rush of air during the glide she jammed the door with the life preserver, also as instructed pre-flight.

Unfortunately, on the roll the door shut again and we were trapped upside down as the plane was taking on water and sinking. We unlatched our seat belts and I switched sides with my passenger to look for the door handle. By the time I found it, most of my head was underwater. I found the handle pulled it and the door opened. My passenger saved us both by opening that door during the glide because it would have been near impossible to reach the top latch on those PA-28 doors or I could have assumed the water pressure kept the door closed, which was my only concern at the time