What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 14, 2024, the aircraft conducted part 91 private flight from ksmc to klgb. Along the coast about 5 miles west of kota about 3500’, the pilot heard chatter coming from the engine and glanced at the instruments and found parameters were operating normal. About, 20 seconds after initial noise, the chatter increased to a loud knocking and few seconds later loud bang and explosion were heard. Engine oil covered the left windshield, and smoke was billowing from left side and pilot stop the engine and placed propeller to full feather. Declared emergency and ATC provided option to land at ktoa. The pilot determined that ktoa was not safe due to current altitude. Pilot attempted to restart the engine with no avail. The pilot determined no other suitable safe option was to ditch the aircraft on the ocean. Once, the aircraft landed on the ocean the pilot was able to exit and stand on top of the wing. Initially the aircraft was floating but started to sink nose first into the water. The pilot was able to swim to the shore with no injuries. The aircraft fuselage was recovered but the engine remains submerged. Unable to determine the cause of the engine failure currently.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 14, 2024, THE AIRCRAFT CONDUCTED PART 91 PRIVATE FLIGHT FROM KSMC TO KLGB. ALONG THE COAST ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF KOTA ABOUT 3500’, THE PILOT HEARD CHATTER COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND GLANCED AT THE INSTRUMENTS AND FOUND PARAMETERS WERE OPERATING NORMAL. ABOUT, 20 SECONDS AFTER INITIAL NOISE, THE CHATTER INCREASED TO A LOUD KNOCKING AND FEW SECONDS LATER LOUD BANG AND EXPLOSION WERE HEARD. ENGINE OIL COVERED THE LEFT WINDSHIELD, AND SMOKE WAS BILLOWING FROM LEFT SIDE AND PILOT STOP THE ENGINE AND PLACED PROPELLER TO FULL FEATHER. DECLARED EMERGENCY AND ATC PROVIDED OPTION TO LAND AT KTOA. THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT KTOA WAS NOT SAFE DUE TO CURRENT ALTITUDE. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITH NO AVAIL. THE PILOT DETERMINED NO OTHER SUITABLE SAFE OPTION WAS TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT ON THE OCEAN. ONCE, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE OCEAN THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT AND STAND ON TOP OF THE WING. INITIALLY THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOATING BUT STARTED TO SINK NOSE FIRST INTO THE WATER. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SWIM TO THE SHORE WITH NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE WAS RECOVERED BUT THE ENGINE REMAINS SUBMERGED. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE CURRENTLY.
Other reports on N8047S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.