# Incident 20240414007279I: Piper PA-32R-301T, Rancho Palos Ve, CA, April 14, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 14, 2024, 17:15 local time
- Place: Rancho Palos Ve, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7385° N, 118.3697° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7385&lon=-118.3697&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8047S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8047S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301T (registry code 7103220, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32R-301T
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TIO-540-S1AD
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,300 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240414007279I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

- [Incident 19901106060989I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901106060989I), Nov 6, 1990: Piper PA32R301T (N8047S), Ennis, TX. Rough engine. Precautionary landing on speedway. Fuel injector line to NR3 cylinder was broken.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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