N5372HRobinson Helicopter R66 · 2011

On May 19, 2013, about 0635 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-16 airplane, N5372H, is presumed to have sustained substantial damage during a forced landing and ditching, following a loss of engine power after takeoff near Juneau, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot and one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed a beach on Shelter Island at approximately 0635, destined for Juneau, Alaska.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on May 21, the pilot stated he had flown out the previous evening to stay with friends who were camping on Shelter Island. The following morning he performed a preflight inspection on the airplane, and departed the beach for Juneau. Just after takeoff, as the airplane climbed through approximately 350 feet above ground level, the engine suddenly lost all power. Unable to restart the engine, he turned back toward the beach and ditched the airplane in the ocean. Upon landing, the airplane skipped twice, and skied across the surface of the water for approximately 100 feet. It then nosed over abruptly, and the cabin began to fill rapidly with water. The pilot and passenger evacuated the airplane through the right-hand side door, and sat on top of the inverted airplane until the wreckage began to sink. The two occupants had begun to swim for shore when they were picked up by a boat.

Shelter Island is approximately 10 miles northwest of Juneau and trends northwest between Saginaw and Favorite Channels in the inside passage of the north Pacific Ocean. The area is influence by strong tides and ocean currents.

The airplane sank in about 400 feet of ocean water, was not recovered, and was therefore presumed substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the airplane’s maintenance logbooks were on board the airplane and subsequently sank with the wreckage; therefore, they could not be reviewed.

The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-235 engine.

The closest weather reporting facility is Juneau Airport, approximately 10 miles east of the accident site. At 0653, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) at Juneau, Alaska, reported wind from 060 degrees, at 6 knots, visibility, 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 4800 feet, broken clouds at 7500 feet, broken clouds at 9000 feet, temperature, 38 degrees F; dew point 35 degrees F; altimeter, 30.35 inHG.