Pilot of an small aircraft sel made an emergency gear up landing off airport after the engine quit.

Attributes
ACN	310530
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : svn airport : 49j
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4200 msl bound upper : 4200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Sierra 24
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	310530
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
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	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departed hilton head (49J) in route to vnc, fl. Departed pattern to the southwest. Contacted sav approach for flight following - - at 4200 ft engine developed noise and loss of power -- checked mixture, magnetos, changed tanks, turned on boost pump -- no change. Called ATC and requested vectors to nearest airport. At that point noise got louder and engine locked up but propeller continued windmilling. Apparent broken crankshaft. Declared emergency. Tried to feather propeller. No response! By this time we were at 3200 ft and sinking fast. Told passenger and ATC we were going down. The marsh looked like the best option. Had passenger prepare with pillows and had them unlatch door. Told passenger and ATC we were going to do a gear up landing in the marsh. After landing everyone exited the airplane and waited on the wing for help to arrive. My wife had a small cut on her head. My son and I were uninjured. Minor damage to aircraft from landing but delays in getting permission from the FAA and the insurance company to remove the airplane allowed enough time for the tide to come in and destroy the plane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL MADE AN EMER GEAR UP LNDG OFF ARPT AFTER THE ENG QUIT.

Narrative: DEPARTED HILTON HEAD (49J) IN RTE TO VNC, FL. DEPARTED PATTERN TO THE SW. CONTACTED SAV APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING - - AT 4200 FT ENG DEVELOPED NOISE AND LOSS OF PWR -- CHKED MIXTURE, MAGNETOS, CHANGED TANKS, TURNED ON BOOST PUMP -- NO CHANGE. CALLED ATC AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT. AT THAT POINT NOISE GOT LOUDER AND ENG LOCKED UP BUT PROP CONTINUED WINDMILLING. APPARENT BROKEN CRANKSHAFT. DECLARED EMER. TRIED TO FEATHER PROP. NO RESPONSE! BY THIS TIME WE WERE AT 3200 FT AND SINKING FAST. TOLD PAX AND ATC WE WERE GOING DOWN. THE MARSH LOOKED LIKE THE BEST OPTION. HAD PAX PREPARE WITH PILLOWS AND HAD THEM UNLATCH DOOR. TOLD PAX AND ATC WE WERE GOING TO DO A GEAR UP LNDG IN THE MARSH. AFTER LNDG EVERYONE EXITED THE AIRPLANE AND WAITED ON THE WING FOR HELP TO ARRIVE. MY WIFE HAD A SMALL CUT ON HER HEAD. MY SON AND I WERE UNINJURED. MINOR DAMAGE TO ACFT FROM LNDG BUT DELAYS IN GETTING PERMISSION FROM THE FAA AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO REMOVE THE AIRPLANE ALLOWED ENOUGH TIME FOR THE TIDE TO COME IN AND DESTROY THE PLANE.

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.