Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Marys, Georgia 31558
Monday, May 31, 2004 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While climbing to cruise, at 2800 feet, the pilot stated the engine lost power. The pilot trimmed for the best glide rate and selected an area of beach to land on. The pilot went through the emergency procedures, but his efforts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The airplane landed successfully, but during landing roll encountered a large pool of standing water, and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear collapsed, the engine mounts were broken, the right wing was damaged and detached from the fuselage. There were 17 gallons of fuel recovered from the right fuel tank and 10 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left fuel tank. Further examination found no blockage in the exhaust, no defects with either magneto and a functional check of the engine was accomplished. At the time of the accident, the nearest weather facility reported clouds at 2500 feet, temperature at 29-degrees Celsius and the dew point at 24-degrees Celsius. The weather conditions were favorable for the formation of ice. According to Advisory Circular 20-113, the pilot is advised to, "remain alert for indications of induction system icing during takeoff and climb-out, especially when the relative humidity is above 50 percent, or when visible moisture is present in the atmosphere."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot failure to use carburetor heat when weather condition were favorable for the for the formation of carburetor ice. .

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City St. Marys
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31558
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 305302N
Event Location Longitude 0812403W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID KJAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17260
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 31 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 41
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8149Q
NTSB Number ATL04LA124
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8016253
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 6 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52.9
Airframe Hours 18058.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ormond Beach Aviation, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 770 Airport Rd, Suite 7
Aircraft Owner City Ormond Beach
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32174
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ormond Beach Aviation, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 770 Airport Road
Operator City Ormond Beach
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32174
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 09J
Departure City Jekyll Island
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OMN
Destination City Ormond Beach
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --