# NTSB ERA12LA474: Piper PA-25-235, N7313Z, Westerly, RI, July 23, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 23, 2012, 15:02 local (19:02 UTC) - Place: Westerly, RI - Coordinates: 41.284168, -71.667221 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2842&lon=-71.6672&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 84428 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12LA474 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84428/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84428 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA474 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined due to the postaccident salt water-damaged state of the engine. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis About 12 minutes into a local banner towing flight, while flying 650 feet above the ocean, the airplane’s engine began running roughly. The pilot responded by increasing the throttle to full, richening the mixture, and applying carburetor heat, all to no avail. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power completely, so the pilot performed a forced landing to the ocean and was later rescued by civilian boaters. The airplane was recovered from the ocean more than 1 week after the accident. The pilot/operator was able to perform a cursory inspection of the engine at the time, but no definitive cause for the loss of power was identified. Due to the salt water-damaged state of the engine, no further detailed examination could be completed. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated nearly 2,300 hours since its most recent overhaul and 150 hours since its most recent annual inspection. Weather conditions at an airport 6 miles from the accident location were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor ice at glide power settings. ## Factual narrative On July 23, 2012, at 1502 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25, N7313Z, registered to and operated by Simmons Aviation, was substantially damaged following a forced landing into the Atlantic Ocean, near Westerly, Rhode Island. The certificated airline transport certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from Westerly State Airport (WST), Westerly, Rhode Island, about 1445. The banner tow flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot stated that he departed with 25 gallons of fuel for a 45-minute flight, and had not taken on any fuel that day. About 12 minutes into the flight, and while flying at an altitude of about 600 feet, the engine began running "roughly" and sounded as though it misfired. After about 20 seconds, the pilot responded by increasing engine power to full, richening the mixture, and applying carburetor heat. Shortly after, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot subsequently ditched the airplane into the ocean with the banner still attached, approximately 6 miles from shore. The pilot transmitted a distress call, and was later rescued by a civilian boat. The airplane was recovered from the ocean on July 31, 2012. The pilot performed a cursory examination of the engine and noted that the crankshaft was free to rotate, and oil was present within the engine case. The pilot reported that there was an unspecified “problem” with a valve of the number 4 cylinder, and that he was unable to check operation of the magnetos since they were saturated with water. An unspecified quantity of fuel was found in a fuel tank. Due to the extent of damage related to immersion in salt water, no further examination of the engine was possible. The pilot had most recently purchased fuel from a fixed base operator at WST. The fuel facility there was inspected at the direction of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector following the accident. No abnormalities were noted during the inspection. The accident airplane was manufactured in 1965 and was equipped with a Lycoming O-540-B4B5 engine. Review of maintenance records showed that the airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed on August 7, 2011. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 4,720 total flight hours, and the engine had accumulated 2,147 hours since the most recent overhaul. The airplane had accumulated an additional 150 flight hours since that time. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with numerous ratings, including airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA second class medical certificate was issued in June 2012, and he reported that he possessed 9,175 total hours of flight experience, 1,500 hours of which were in the accident airplane make and model. The weather reported at WST, at 1500, included winds from 210 degrees magnetic at 9 knots, 10 statute milesvisibility, a broken ceiling at 1,600 feet, temperature 26 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 21 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury. The temperature and dew point conditions at that time were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power settings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7313Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7313Z), registered now, S/N 25-3245, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25-235 - Registry model: [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (registry code 7102504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-540-B4B5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-b4b5) (registry code 42340, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-3245 - Airframe hours: 4870 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-B4B5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Simmons Aviation Services - Registered owner: Simmons Mark A DBA - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2011, 150 hours before - Departed: WST, Westerly, RI - Destination: WST, Westerly, RI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2012; seat: center; flight hours: 9,175 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 8,350 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,600 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: WST, 6 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120723018699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120723018699A), Jul 23, 2012: Piper PA-25-235, Off Of Westerly, RI, Destroyed. Aircraft departed Westerly, RI (wst) for a banner towing operation along the shore of block island, RI. The pilot reports that while in cruise flight at 650… ## Other investigations on N7313Z (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN86FA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN86FA022), Nov 13, 1985: Piper PA-25-235B (N7313Z), Holly, CO, substantial damage, 1 fatal ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84428. 4.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 929 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374427&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Conversation, Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 340 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387903&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Conversation,%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Conversation, FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 337 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387902&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Conversation,%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Pilot Email (item 4, .PDF, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387905&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Email-Redacted.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies (FAA Inspector Statement) (item 5, .PDF, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374670&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%20(FAA%20Inspector%20Statement)-Redacted.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area, Wreckage Diagrams (item 6, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374668&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area,%20Wreckage%20Diagrams-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous (Excerpt from Maintenance Logs) (item 7, .PDF, 827 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374671&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20(Excerpt%20from%20Maintenance%20Logs)-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Engine Following Recovery from Ocean (Photo Courtesy of Operator) (item 8, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387901&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Engine%20Following%20Recovery%20from%20Ocean%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20Operator)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.