What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Piper PA-18 serial number 187762, privacy data omitted, suffered an engine failure at approximately 12:20 EST on 29 July 2023. The aircraft crashed into the water some 50 yards off the beach at Hampton beach.
According to the pilot in command, he had conducted one 30 minute banner towing flight earlier in the day in the same aircraft and had noted no anomalies. The pilot had approximately 430 hours tt and some 100 hours in tailwheel aircraft, predominantly in the Piper PA-18. At 1130, after refueling at Hampton Airfield (7B3), the pilot took off, picked up another banner and proceeded towards seabrook beach at approximately 1000’. He then turned north, anticipating making a run along Hampton beach at 600’. He then heard a loud “bang” and immediately noted the engine oil pressure drop to zero. Flying at the best glide speed, he attempted a restart but was unsuccessful. The propeller was stationary at this point. He elected to ditch the aircraft FAR enough from the beach to pose no risk to bathers, but close enough to ensure help would be at hand if required. The aircraft touched down in a tail down attitude at very low speed, and came to rest with the tail pointing out of the water. The pilot sustained minor injuries to his knees, and the aircraft was recovered after being righted from its inverted floating position to the beach by the Hampton beach fire department and police, assisted by the lifeguards. The aircraft was essentially intact and was resting on its own landing gear.
Damage of the airplane is determined to be minor.
As the FAA filed it
PIPER PA-18 SERIAL NUMBER 187762, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SUFFERED AN ENGINE FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 12:20 EST ON 29 JULY 2023. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE WATER SOME 50 YARDS OFF THE BEACH AT HAMPTON BEACH.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT IN COMMAND, HE HAD CONDUCTED ONE 30 MINUTE BANNER TOWING FLIGHT EARLIER IN THE DAY IN THE SAME AIRCRAFT AND HAD NOTED NO ANOMALIES. THE PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 430 HOURS TT AND SOME 100 HOURS IN TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT, PREDOMINANTLY IN THE PIPER PA-18. AT 1130, AFTER REFUELING AT HAMPTON AIRFIELD (7B3), THE PILOT TOOK OFF, PICKED UP ANOTHER BANNER AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS SEABROOK BEACH AT APPROXIMATELY 1000’. HE THEN TURNED NORTH, ANTICIPATING MAKING A RUN ALONG HAMPTON BEACH AT 600’. HE THEN HEARD A LOUD “BANG” AND IMMEDIATELY NOTED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROP TO ZERO. FLYING AT THE BEST GLIDE SPEED, HE ATTEMPTED A RESTART BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PROPELLER WAS STATIONARY AT THIS POINT. HE ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT FAR ENOUGH FROM THE BEACH TO POSE NO RISK TO BATHERS, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH TO ENSURE HELP WOULD BE AT HAND IF REQUIRED. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A TAIL DOWN ATTITUDE AT VERY LOW SPEED, AND CAME TO REST WITH THE TAIL POINTING OUT OF THE WATER. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS KNEES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AFTER BEING RIGHTED FROM ITS INVERTED FLOATING POSITION TO THE BEACH BY THE HAMPTON BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE, ASSISTED BY THE LIFEGUARDS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESSENTIALLY INTACT AND WAS RESTING ON ITS OWN LANDING GEAR.
DAMAGE OF THE AIRPLANE IS DETERMINED TO BE MINOR.
Other reports on N4890P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.