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20230731008939A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-12 · Myrtle Beach, SC · July 31, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 31, 2023 · 11:30 local
Place
Myrtle Beach, SC
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
84MJ
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3036M
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23LA356
Reported as
Piper PA-12
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
3,400 total3,100 in this make and model400 in the last 90 days
N3036MRegistered now · Piper PA-12S/N 12-1581 · Built 1947Airframe modelPiper PA-12Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Eon-dra message text: Myrtle Beach, SC: stormer 2, PA18, local banner tower, crashed into the water 4 miles NE of Myrtle Beach for unknown reasons. No ground injuries reported and the aircraft is in shallow water. POB: 1, injuries: unknown, damage: extent unknown. 07/31/2023 1530Z

Pilot statement:

Subject: emergency water landing on 31 July 2023

I was working as a banner pilot for privacy data omitted. At approximately 0900 I arrived at our hangar and performed my preflight inspection. After being propped off I taxied out and took off after receiving the proper clearance from ground and then tower at approximately 0955. At approximately 1100 I dropped my first banner and picked up my second. I then began flying toward kmyr down the coast. I turned around and began moving NE at 500 ft AGL along the coast. Just after passing the 14th ave pier my engine shut down. I immediately began the restart procedure knowing that I needed to get it started while the propeller was still turning. It did restart, I then made all my inflight checks and everything seemed to be ok. I was heading back to kcre unitl the engine shutdown again. This time the engine would not restart, so I began looking for a safe place to land where I would not injure anyone below but could still land close to the Beach in the water as I knew that the Beach was not an option. I saw one opening that appeared to be the best spot and glided toward it while maintaining my banner, which I was hoping would anchor the plane from flipping once hitting the water. Upon reaching the area, I attempted to slow the plane down as much as possible before impacting with the water.

As the FAA filed it

EON-DRA MESSAGE TEXT: MYRTLE BEACH, SC: STORMER 2, PA18, LOCAL BANNER TOWER, CRASHED INTO THE WATER 4 MILES NE OF MYRTLE BEACH FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. NO GROUND INJURIES REPORTED AND THE AIRCRAFT IS IN SHALLOW WATER. POB: 1, INJURIES: UNKNOWN, DAMAGE: EXTENT UNKNOWN. 07/31/2023 1530Z

PILOT STATEMENT:

SUBJECT: EMERGENCY WATER LANDING ON 31 JULY 2023

I WAS WORKING AS A BANNER PILOT FOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 I ARRIVED AT OUR HANGAR AND PERFORMED MY PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. AFTER BEING PROPPED OFF I TAXIED OUT AND TOOK OFF AFTER RECEIVING THE PROPER CLEARANCE FROM GROUND AND THEN TOWER AT APPROXIMATELY 0955. AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 I DROPPED MY FIRST BANNER AND PICKED UP MY SECOND. I THEN BEGAN FLYING TOWARD KMYR DOWN THE COAST. I TURNED AROUND AND BEGAN MOVING NE AT 500 FT AGL ALONG THE COAST. JUST AFTER PASSING THE 14TH AVE PIER MY ENGINE SHUT DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN THE RESTART PROCEDURE KNOWING THAT I NEEDED TO GET IT STARTED WHILE THE PROPELLER WAS STILL TURNING. IT DID RESTART, I THEN MADE ALL MY INFLIGHT CHECKS AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK. I WAS HEADING BACK TO KCRE UNITL THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART, SO I BEGAN LOOKING FOR A SAFE PLACE TO LAND WHERE I WOULD NOT INJURE ANYONE BELOW BUT COULD STILL LAND CLOSE TO THE BEACH IN THE WATER AS I KNEW THAT THE BEACH WAS NOT AN OPTION. I SAW ONE OPENING THAT APPEARED TO BE THE BEST SPOT AND GLIDED TOWARD IT WHILE MAINTAINING MY BANNER, WHICH I WAS HOPING WOULD ANCHOR THE PLANE FROM FLIPPING ONCE HITTING THE WATER. UPON REACHING THE AREA, I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE PLANE DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE IMPACTING WITH THE 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.

NTSB ERA23LA356Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportMyrtle Beach, SCThe pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.Jul 31, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3036M · 5

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20190522005039ILanding: Rollout · North Myrtle Be, SCAirman description of events - practicing banner pickups as a new hire in training for barnstormer's aerial advertising. Gusty crosswind conditions from the right affected aircraft controllability on touchdown. Full rudder application was not fully effective…May 22, 2019 · No damageAccident 20090429007629ALanding · Georgetown, SC(-23) On April 29, 2009 at 1145 a Piper PA-12, N3036M registered to barnstormer flite signs entered a ground loop at Georgetown, SC (gge). The left wing has damage to both wing spars and the left landing gear is also damaged. The tailwheel and rudder…Apr 29, 2009 · Substantial damageIncident 20030620013589ILevel Off Touchdown · North Myrtle Be, SC(-23) Banner tow pilot reported that during landing at north Myrtle beach airport aircraft encountered a gust of wind that caused a hard contact with runway resulting in the aircraft tail wheel breaking from aircraft. Pilot recovered from initial hard bounce,…Jun 20, 2003 · Minor damageIncident 19960525021499IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · North Myrtle Be, SCNarrative: pilot was conducting banner tow operation when engine lost power and entered ocean and going inverted. Pilot exited aircraft with no injury and was boated to shore. The aircraft was turned up right and brought to shore. The aircraft was empty of…May 25, 1996 · Minor damageAccident 19950726021659AStarting Engines · North Myrtle Be, SCStarted engine by hand propping. No tiedown or chocks. Throttle open. Aircraft ran into a ditch.Jul 26, 1995 · Substantial damage