An small aircraft pilot had to land on a beach after having a power loss. He flew off successfully.

Attributes
ACN	230035
Time
Date	199212
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ene airport : sfm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	230035
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

*An owner/pilot of an small aircraft experienced a power loss over the ocean and landed on a beach. The aircraft was operating in very cold temperatures from the ground up (10 degrees F overnight) and was properly preflted except for draining the fuel tanks at the wing. Some alcohol based 'dry gas' was added to the tanks, a runup was performed, and the aircraft took off from the beach. The aircraft was checked out by a mechanic at home base and nothing was found that would have caused the power loss. A few days later, another loss of power was experienced, and the aircraft landed back at its home base. Further mechanical review is being done with the possibility of worn valve guides being investigated. The reporting owner/pilot has not ruled out the possibility of carburetor ice. He is checking the regulations regarding the use of alcohol based 'dry gas' type additives. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: further examination by mechanics has found that there was a cracked fuel nozzle tube in the carburetor, valve clearance that was too tight, and a hairline crack in the exhaust manifold. All of the above should have had no bearing on the power loss problem. The reporting pilot is now filling 1 tank with 100 ll fuel and the other tank with automatic gas. He has been flying the aircraft day VFR only until he gets his confidence in the aircraft back. He has found an approved gasoline additive and is using it. The FAA has not contacted him at all on this matter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT HAD TO LAND ON A BEACH AFTER HAVING A PWR LOSS. HE FLEW OFF SUCCESSFULLY.

Narrative: *AN OWNER/PLT OF AN SMA EXPERIENCED A PWR LOSS OVER THE OCEAN AND LANDED ON A BEACH. THE ACFT WAS OPERATING IN VERY COLD TEMPS FROM THE GND UP (10 DEGS F OVERNIGHT) AND WAS PROPERLY PREFLTED EXCEPT FOR DRAINING THE FUEL TANKS AT THE WING. SOME ALCOHOL BASED 'DRY GAS' WAS ADDED TO THE TANKS, A RUNUP WAS PERFORMED, AND THE ACFT TOOK OFF FROM THE BEACH. THE ACFT WAS CHKED OUT BY A MECH AT HOME BASE AND NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE PWR LOSS. A FEW DAYS LATER, ANOTHER LOSS OF PWR WAS EXPERIENCED, AND THE ACFT LANDED BACK AT ITS HOME BASE. FURTHER MECHANICAL REVIEW IS BEING DONE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF WORN VALVE GUIDES BEING INVESTIGATED. THE RPTING OWNER/PLT HAS NOT RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CARB ICE. HE IS CHKING THE REGS REGARDING THE USE OF ALCOHOL BASED 'DRY GAS' TYPE ADDITIVES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FURTHER EXAMINATION BY MECHS HAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CRACKED FUEL NOZZLE TUBE IN THE CARB, VALVE CLRNC THAT WAS TOO TIGHT, AND A HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ALL OF THE ABOVE SHOULD HAVE HAD NO BEARING ON THE PWR LOSS PROB. THE RPTING PLT IS NOW FILLING 1 TANK WITH 100 LL FUEL AND THE OTHER TANK WITH AUTO GAS. HE HAS BEEN FLYING THE ACFT DAY VFR ONLY UNTIL HE GETS HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE ACFT BACK. HE HAS FOUND AN APPROVED GASOLINE ADDITIVE AND IS USING IT. THE FAA HAS NOT CONTACTED HIM AT ALL ON THIS MATTER.

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.