N207YYates Leonard W JABIRU 250 · 2005

On October 16, 2018, about 1430 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Jabiru 250, N207Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Daytona Beach Shores, Florida. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he landed at Jim Hamilton Owens Airport (CUB), Columbia, South Carolina, about 1100 for fuel. He added 12.9 gallons for a total of 34 gallons, which would have provided an endurance of about 5 1/2 hours. The following flight leg from CUB to Spruce Creek Airport (7FL6), Daytona Beach, Florida, was planned for about 3 hours. While approaching 7FL6 from the northeast at 1,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine sputtered, then stopped. The propeller continued to windmill as the pilot attempted to troubleshoot and restart the engine utilizing the fuel boost pump, but he was unsuccessful. The pilot performed a forced landing in the ocean close to shore, about 7 miles northeast of 7FL6. The airplane landed upright, then flipped to the right and sank. He reported that all engine indications and performance appeared normal during the entire flight.

Several witnesses on the beach reported that they saw the airplane on approach. They did not hear the engine operating and the propeller was not spinning when the airplane landed in the water.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing, which was fractured mid-span. The airplane had been submerged in the ocean about 100 yards offshore and was recovered about 18 hours after the accident. During the recovery, about 5 gallons of aviation fuel was removed from the fuel tanks. The engine and components, which had been exposed to the salt water for an extended period of time, were corroded. Subsequent testing of the engine and components was not possible due to the corrosion.

The reported weather conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the development of carburetor icing, as the temperature and dewpoint were outside of the icing envelope. The engine was equipped with a pressure-type carburetor and had been operated at a cruise power setting for about 3 hours before the loss of engine power.