ERA14LA309

The pilot reported that he was conducting touch-and-go landings on a river. About 300 feet above ground level, the engine began to misfire and subsequently failed. The pilot did not have sufficient altitude to switch fuel pumps and attempt an engine restart, so he chose to conduct a forced landing. During the landing flare, the airplane lost lift, landed hard on the water, and nosed over. Examination of the engine found that a ground wire lug on the No. 1 fuel pump was loose, which caused the ground wire to have intermittent contact with the lead and likely caused the fuel pump to malfunction and the engine to subsequently lose power. The most recent conditional inspection was completed about 10 months before the accident. The pilot, who was a certificated experimental aircraft repairman and conducted maintenance on the airplane, stated that he "must have missed this item on his last inspection."

According to the FAA and airplane maintenance records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate on October 23, 2009. The airplane's most recent conditional inspection was completed on September 1, 2013. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 134 hours of operation. On June 20, 2014, at approximately 1500 eastern daylight time (EDT), an experimental amateur built Aventura 2 amphibious airplane, N700WS, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after a loss of engine power in the Indian River near Rockledge, Florida. The commercial pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries. No flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 According to the pilot, he was conducting touch and go water landings on the Indian River. After the third touch and go landing the pilot entered a climbing left turn, at approximately 300 feet he heard the engine "skip/miss". The pilot elected to level off and turned for the Rockledge Airport (21FA), Rockledge, Florida. Subsequently the engine lost power. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on the river. Upon touchdown the aircraft nosed and incurred substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot and passenger were able to egress themselves from the aircraft. Recorded weather at Patrick Air Force Base (COF) Cocoa Beach, Florida, located approximately 9 miles northeast of the accident site at 1458 included, wind 010 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 6,000 feet, temperature 28 C, dewpoint 23 C, and altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi-engine land, and private pilot privileges for airplane single-engine land and airplane single-engine sea. The pilot received a second class medical January 28, 2014. The pilot reported that he had accrued 17,000 hours of total flight experience, of which 4,000 were in the accident airplane make and model. The airplane came to rest inverted on the water in the Indian River. The airplane was subsequently towed to an island. During an examination of the wreckage, no preimpact malfunctions of the airplane were discovered. Examination of the engine discovered that a ground wire lug on the number 1 fuel pump was loose and the ground wire was making intermittent contact. The pilot had conducted his own maintenance on the aircraft as a certificated experimental aircraft repairman for the accident airplane. He stated that he "must have missed this item on his last inspection."