N41663Beech E17L

On January 24, 2017, about 1430 Pacific standard time, a Beech E17L airplane, N41663, experienced a loss of engine power and was subsequently ditched in Discovery Bay, Washington. The airline transport pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local area flight departed from Jefferson County International Airport, Port Townsend, Washington, about 1415.

The pilot stated that following departure, he maneuvered along the shoreline and the airplane reached about 900 ft above ground level (agl). The fuel pressure dropped to zero and the low-pressure light illuminated. The pilot switched the fuel selector from a top tank to the main tank and activated the fuel pump. The pressure remained at zero. The pilot attempted to restart the engine and switched tanks again, to no avail. He opted to ditch in the water and avoid the tall trees on land. The airplane touched down in the saltwater and became submerged, sustaining damage to the lower wing.

The Beech E17L Staggerwing, serial number (s/n) 196, was originally manufactured in 1936. The pilot purchased the airplane in 2001 and had accumulated about 250 hours of flight time in it. The airplane was equipped with a Jacobs R755B2 engine, s/n 11939. The last airframe maintenance was an annual inspection that reported as being completed in September 2016 at a total airframe time of 3,355 hours. The engine had amassed a total time of 916 hours.

The pilot recalled that prior to departure he had 66 gallons of fuel onboard. After the airplane was recovered, he removed the top wings. He found about 3-4 gallons of water and fuel (small amount) in the upper right wing and only water in the upper left wing. Due to the submersion of the airplane, it could not be determined if water was in the fuel tank prior to the accident and the fuel system could not be examined. The pilot additionally noticed that the ground wire on the electric pump was loose, but was unsure if it was a result of the impact and thought that the engine-driven fuel pump should have still been operational.