Narrative:

We (the student and instructor) departed charleston executive airport on runway 22, to the south, for an instructional flight. We performed ground reference maneuvers at 1000 ft, approximately 5 or 6 mi south of airport over section of a beach that was sparsely populated. We completed 3 turns around a point, to left and to right, without incident. We were approximately 30 mins into the flight, and had begun s-turns when the engine began to lose power, dropping to about 1700-1800 RPM's. We attempted carburetor heat, checked fuel, magnetos, mixture and throttle without improvement. We had lost approximately 300 ft (now about 700 ft MSL and AGL) and it was apparent we could not maintain altitude nor return to airport. Our descent rate was approximately 400 FPM. Therefore, we decided to make an emergency, off-field landing. We were already in communications with charleston executive airport traffic and unicom on CTAF frequency with numerous traffic in pattern, so we reported the emergency situation on this frequency. In looking around for a suitable landing site, we selected an unoccupied stretch of the beach area that was most nearly into the wind and presented no hazard to persons or property on the ground. On final approach, full flaps were deployed, mixture and fuel and throttle were secured, doors were propped open, and magnetos were shut off. Landing was accomplished using soft field procedures, on the area of beach not in the tidal zone. After the aircraft slowed, the nosewheel lowered to ground and bogged down in sand, collapsing. There were no injuries. Master switch had been left on for radio and flaps. The student did an excellent job with CRM, assisting with items on the emergency landing checklist, such as fuel valve, doors, magnetos, etc. The aircraft had been thoroughly pre-flted, full fuel, strained, etc, and was within 100 hour of annual inspections. It is unknown what caused engine power loss.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT MADE AN EMER LNDG ON THE BEACH 6 NM S OF JZI.

Narrative: WE (THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR) DEPARTED CHARLESTON EXECUTIVE ARPT ON RWY 22, TO THE S, FOR AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. WE PERFORMED GND REF MANEUVERS AT 1000 FT, APPROX 5 OR 6 MI S OF ARPT OVER SECTION OF A BEACH THAT WAS SPARSELY POPULATED. WE COMPLETED 3 TURNS AROUND A POINT, TO L AND TO R, WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE WERE APPROX 30 MINS INTO THE FLT, AND HAD BEGUN S-TURNS WHEN THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR, DROPPING TO ABOUT 1700-1800 RPM'S. WE ATTEMPTED CARB HEAT, CHKED FUEL, MAGNETOS, MIXTURE AND THROTTLE WITHOUT IMPROVEMENT. WE HAD LOST APPROX 300 FT (NOW ABOUT 700 FT MSL AND AGL) AND IT WAS APPARENT WE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT NOR RETURN TO ARPT. OUR DSCNT RATE WAS APPROX 400 FPM. THEREFORE, WE DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMER, OFF-FIELD LNDG. WE WERE ALREADY IN COMS WITH CHARLESTON EXECUTIVE ARPT TFC AND UNICOM ON CTAF FREQ WITH NUMEROUS TFC IN PATTERN, SO WE RPTED THE EMER SIT ON THIS FREQ. IN LOOKING AROUND FOR A SUITABLE LNDG SITE, WE SELECTED AN UNOCCUPIED STRETCH OF THE BEACH AREA THAT WAS MOST NEARLY INTO THE WIND AND PRESENTED NO HAZARD TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ON THE GND. ON FINAL APCH, FULL FLAPS WERE DEPLOYED, MIXTURE AND FUEL AND THROTTLE WERE SECURED, DOORS WERE PROPPED OPEN, AND MAGNETOS WERE SHUT OFF. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING SOFT FIELD PROCS, ON THE AREA OF BEACH NOT IN THE TIDAL ZONE. AFTER THE ACFT SLOWED, THE NOSEWHEEL LOWERED TO GND AND BOGGED DOWN IN SAND, COLLAPSING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. MASTER SWITCH HAD BEEN LEFT ON FOR RADIO AND FLAPS. THE STUDENT DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH CRM, ASSISTING WITH ITEMS ON THE EMER LNDG CHKLIST, SUCH AS FUEL VALVE, DOORS, MAGNETOS, ETC. THE ACFT HAD BEEN THOROUGHLY PRE-FLTED, FULL FUEL, STRAINED, ETC, AND WAS WITHIN 100 HR OF ANNUAL INSPECTIONS. IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT CAUSED ENG PWR LOSS.

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.