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Engine quit while reporter was conducting scenic rides in an open cockpit biplane off shore southwest of mth. Aircraft landed in 18' of water.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 103766 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198902 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mth |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zlc |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 103766 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Flew in area of reef 3 mi south of marathon. Engine suddenly quit. Checked gas gauges 1/4-1/2 full. Checked carburetor heat mixture fuel selector valve--everything appeared to be in order. I have no idea what caused loss of power unless it was carburetor ice. Landed in water into 15 KT headwind. Aircraft stayed upright. No injuries. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: there was no aircraft damage as the aircraft settled in 18' of water, but after the reporter and his passenger were taken ashore by the coast guard a salvage company put a rope on the propeller and attempted to tow the aircraft to shore. The wings were pulled off during this attempt. Aircraft has been sold and will be completely rebuilt.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ENGINE QUIT WHILE REPORTER WAS CONDUCTING SCENIC RIDES IN AN OPEN COCKPIT BIPLANE OFF SHORE SW OF MTH. ACFT LANDED IN 18' OF WATER.
Narrative: FLEW IN AREA OF REEF 3 MI S OF MARATHON. ENG SUDDENLY QUIT. CHKED GAS GAUGES 1/4-1/2 FULL. CHKED CARB HEAT MIXTURE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE--EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE IN ORDER. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED LOSS OF PWR UNLESS IT WAS CARB ICE. LANDED IN WATER INTO 15 KT HEADWIND. ACFT STAYED UPRIGHT. NO INJURIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE AS THE ACFT SETTLED IN 18' OF WATER, BUT AFTER THE RPTR AND HIS PAX WERE TAKEN ASHORE BY THE COAST GUARD A SALVAGE COMPANY PUT A ROPE ON THE PROP AND ATTEMPTED TO TOW THE ACFT TO SHORE. THE WINGS WERE PULLED OFF DURING THIS ATTEMPT. ACFT HAS BEEN SOLD AND WILL BE COMPLETELY REBUILT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.