What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 2nd, 2025, at approximately 1915 EDT (2315Z) privacy data omitted, departed cape fear regional jetport, Oak Island NC, on runway 05 for a short local flight. privacy data omitted Is a Jabiru J-230 experimental light sport aircraft (elsa). After departure the pilot made a left crosswind departure and a downwind outside of the normal traffic pattern. Upon reaching the cruise altitude of 2000 feet and reaching the coastline the pilot turned west, away from the airport. The engine reportedly had a “burp” or slight power “hiccup” according to the pilot. A broken cloud layer was approximately 1500 – 2000 feet above the aircraft. At approximately eight miles from the airport along the coastline the pilot decided to return for a landing due to the rough running engine. The pilot turned left over the water to align with runway 05 for a 3.5 mile final. While on a three-mile final and 1400 feet altitude the pilot determined making the runway was not possible. With the beach full of people and possible swimmers in the water the elected to ditch in the ocean closer to a less populated section.
The engine and propeller stopped while still airborne and the flight path angling towards the beach. The pilot stated turning the fuel pumps on and back off and the carburetor heat on and off while the engine was still operating roughly with no noticeable effect. The aircraft impacted the water approximately 200 – 400 feet from shore.
The pilot was extracted from the aircraft by local water rescue that saw the crash from the beach.
Reported outside air temperature and dew point were in the MID-70S. Conducive to possible carburetor icing with a cloud deck 2000 feet above the aircraft. Impact with salt water destroyed any definitive proof of icing. Carburetor listed as part involved due to the possibility of carburetor icing.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 2ND, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1915 EDT (2315Z) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED CAPE FEAR REGIONAL JETPORT, OAK ISLAND NC, ON RUNWAY 05 FOR A SHORT LOCAL FLIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IS A JABIRU J-230 EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT (ELSA). AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT MADE A LEFT CROSSWIND DEPARTURE AND A DOWNWIND OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN. UPON REACHING THE CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 2000 FEET AND REACHING THE COASTLINE THE PILOT TURNED WEST, AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT. THE ENGINE REPORTEDLY HAD A “BURP” OR SLIGHT POWER “HICCUP” ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. A BROKEN CLOUD LAYER WAS APPROXIMATELY 1500 – 2000 FEET ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES FROM THE AIRPORT ALONG THE COASTLINE THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN FOR A LANDING DUE TO THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE PILOT TURNED LEFT OVER THE WATER TO ALIGN WITH RUNWAY 05 FOR A 3.5 MILE FINAL. WHILE ON A THREE-MILE FINAL AND 1400 FEET ALTITUDE THE PILOT DETERMINED MAKING THE RUNWAY WAS NOT POSSIBLE. WITH THE BEACH FULL OF PEOPLE AND POSSIBLE SWIMMERS IN THE WATER THE ELECTED TO DITCH IN THE OCEAN CLOSER TO A LESS POPULATED SECTION.
THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER STOPPED WHILE STILL AIRBORNE AND THE FLIGHT PATH ANGLING TOWARDS THE BEACH. THE PILOT STATED TURNING THE FUEL PUMPS ON AND BACK OFF AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT ON AND OFF WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL OPERATING ROUGHLY WITH NO NOTICEABLE EFFECT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER APPROXIMATELY 200 – 400 FEET FROM SHORE.
THE PILOT WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT BY LOCAL WATER RESCUE THAT SAW THE CRASH FROM THE BEACH.
REPORTED OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE IN THE MID-70S. CONDUCIVE TO POSSIBLE CARBURETOR ICING WITH A CLOUD DECK 2000 FEET ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT. IMPACT WITH SALT WATER DESTROYED ANY DEFINITIVE PROOF OF ICING. CARBURETOR LISTED AS PART INVOLVED DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF CARBURETOR ICING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.