Piper PA-12 N3036M accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB analysis

The pilot said he refueled the airplane the day before the accident and checked the fuel level during his preflight inspection the following morning. As he was conducting his second banner-tow of the day over the coastline, about 2 hours 30 minutes into the flight the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot made a forced landing in the ocean just offshore of the beach, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that while the crankshaft would not rotate more than 180 degrees, this was likely due to corrosion that was the result of exposure to saltwater during the forced landing. Internal inspection of the engine via a borescope revealed no obvious mechanical deficiencies or malfunctions that would have precluded the engine from operating at the time of the accident. Although the pilot reported departing with 33 usable gallons of fuel, the postaccident examination found no evidence of fuel leaks and both fuel tanks were intact and empty of fuel. As such, the engine most likely lost power due to fuel exhaustion.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA23LA356 for the full record.