Engine failure, request vectors for emergency landing on beach at night.

Attributes
ACN	135028
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : myr
State Reference	SC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : myr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 290
ASRS Report	135023
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	134572
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We departed sby for a 3 hour flight to ilm. We had 4.5-5 hours of available fuel. I was manipulating the controls under instruction of my cfii. While en route, we decided to fly to cre. We had all necessary fuel reserves covered. Approximately 6 mi from cre the engine stopped. We attempted a restart which failed. We made a mayday call to myr approach and asked for vectors to the beach realizing that we were too far from the runway to attempt a glide at that point. We saw the ocean to the east and some tall bldgs along the shore and we maneuvered to the rear of the bldgs to locate the beach for a safe G/D. We made an engine-out landing safely on the beach and secured the aircraft for the night. The next day we brought an ia out to the aircraft. He determined that the airplane was airworthy to fly off the beach back to cre. The local police approved and a safe return to crew was carried out. Supplemental information from acn 134572: the next morning an a&P (ia) examined the airplane. He offered no explanation as to why it should stop the night before. We flew approximately 15-20 hours after this mishap, carefully monitoring the fuel and still never used more than 8 1/2 gals per hour which would leave us 5-8 gals of usable fuel after the forced landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FAILURE, REQUEST VECTORS FOR EMERGENCY LNDG ON BEACH AT NIGHT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED SBY FOR A 3 HR FLT TO ILM. WE HAD 4.5-5 HRS OF AVAILABLE FUEL. I WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS UNDER INSTRUCTION OF MY CFII. WHILE ENRTE, WE DECIDED TO FLY TO CRE. WE HAD ALL NECESSARY FUEL RESERVES COVERED. APPROX 6 MI FROM CRE THE ENG STOPPED. WE ATTEMPTED A RESTART WHICH FAILED. WE MADE A MAYDAY CALL TO MYR APCH AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE BEACH REALIZING THAT WE WERE TOO FAR FROM THE RWY TO ATTEMPT A GLIDE AT THAT POINT. WE SAW THE OCEAN TO THE E AND SOME TALL BLDGS ALONG THE SHORE AND WE MANEUVERED TO THE REAR OF THE BLDGS TO LOCATE THE BEACH FOR A SAFE G/D. WE MADE AN ENG-OUT LNDG SAFELY ON THE BEACH AND SECURED THE ACFT FOR THE NIGHT. THE NEXT DAY WE BROUGHT AN IA OUT TO THE ACFT. HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRWORTHY TO FLY OFF THE BEACH BACK TO CRE. THE LCL POLICE APPROVED AND A SAFE RETURN TO CREW WAS CARRIED OUT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 134572: THE NEXT MORNING AN A&P (IA) EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE. HE OFFERED NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY IT SHOULD STOP THE NIGHT BEFORE. WE FLEW APPROX 15-20 HRS AFTER THIS MISHAP, CAREFULLY MONITORING THE FUEL AND STILL NEVER USED MORE THAN 8 1/2 GALS PER HR WHICH WOULD LEAVE US 5-8 GALS OF USABLE FUEL AFTER THE FORCED LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.