What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During a long cross-country flight from kfrr (front royal, VA) to kbct (boca raton, FL), the aircraft’s most recent refueling stop was at kogb (orangeburg, SC). The next planned fuel stop was at X59 (valkaria airport, FL). While en route on this leg, the flight encountered several weather-related issues requiring multiple diversions to avoid adverse weather cells.
Approximately eight miles from X59, after the final weather diversion, the aircraft’s left engine began to run rough before ultimately failing while the aircraft was over the ocean. The pilot then turned east toward the melbourne Beach and banana river area. The aircraft executed a successful water landing, and the pilot, passenger, and a dog were able to exit the aircraft safely without injury. They were assisted back to shore by local residents on the water.
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft determined that the fuel tanks were free of any water contamination from the river. The left fuel tanks contained less than 3/8 inch of fuel and the right tanks contained approximately 1/2 inch. It was determined that, due to the cumulative effect of the weather diversions, the aircraft ultimately exhausted its usable fuel, resulting in the engine failure.
As the FAA filed it
DURING A LONG CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM KFRR (FRONT ROYAL, VA) TO KBCT (BOCA RATON, FL), THE AIRCRAFT’S MOST RECENT REFUELING STOP WAS AT KOGB (ORANGEBURG, SC). THE NEXT PLANNED FUEL STOP WAS AT X59 (VALKARIA AIRPORT, FL). WHILE EN ROUTE ON THIS LEG, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERAL WEATHER-RELATED ISSUES REQUIRING MULTIPLE DIVERSIONS TO AVOID ADVERSE WEATHER CELLS.
APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES FROM X59, AFTER THE FINAL WEATHER DIVERSION, THE AIRCRAFT’S LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH BEFORE ULTIMATELY FAILING WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER THE OCEAN. THE PILOT THEN TURNED EAST TOWARD THE MELBOURNE BEACH AND BANANA RIVER AREA. THE AIRCRAFT EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL WATER LANDING, AND THE PILOT, PASSENGER, AND A DOG WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY WITHOUT INJURY. THEY WERE ASSISTED BACK TO SHORE BY LOCAL RESIDENTS ON THE WATER.
A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE FREE OF ANY WATER CONTAMINATION FROM THE RIVER. THE LEFT FUEL TANKS CONTAINED LESS THAN 3/8 INCH OF FUEL AND THE RIGHT TANKS CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT, DUE TO THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF THE WEATHER DIVERSIONS, THE AIRCRAFT ULTIMATELY EXHAUSTED ITS USABLE FUEL, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2109P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.