Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

High Island 334
Saturday, May 7, 1994 18:06 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS EN ROUTE AT 14,000 FEET MSL WHEN THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROPPED FROM 30 TO 18 INCHES. ELEVEN MINUTES LATER THE OIL LIGHT CAME 'ON'. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED UNDER PARTIAL POWER AT AN AIRSPEED OF 90 KNOTS, WHILE DESCENDING AT 100 TO 300 FEET PER MINUTE (FPM). BY 9,500 FEET MSL THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO NEAR A SHIP. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED AFLOAT FOR 5 TO 7 MINUTES. DURING THIS TIME, THE EMERGENCY EXIT WAS OPENED, ALL OCCUPANTS DONNED A LIFE VEST, EXITED, AND BOARDED THE LIFE RAFT, WHICH THE PILOT HAD DEPLOYED. ALL WERE RESCUED BY PERSONNEL FROM THE SHIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED; THEREFORE, THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITH THE CAUSE UNDETERMINED. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1806
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HIGH ISLAND 334
Event State GULF OF MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 537
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2307
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 26 2002 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3648E
NTSB Number FTW94LA146
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-46-310P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-310P
Aircraft Serial Number 46-8408067
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 21 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARTIN, ADREN & COHEN, HOWARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 21387
Aircraft Owner City WACO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76702
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 MMCZ
Departure City COZUMEL,OF
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HOU
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --