Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554
Monday, June 6, 1994 15:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE TO THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT ADVISED ATC THAT THE AIRPLANE ENGINE HAD LOST POWER, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND WAS DITCHING THE AIRPLANE. INITIAL ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE THE WRECKAGE AND RESCUE THE PILOT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THERE WAS NO SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED MORE THAN ONE MONTH AFTER THE ACCIDENT. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE MOST RECENT KNOWN REFUELING OCCURRED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTEDLY FUELED 'TO THE TABS.' THIS FUEL LOAD EQUALS 15 GALLONS PER SIDE (30 GALLONS TOTAL), OF WHICH 22.4 GALLONS IS CONSIDERED USEABLE FUEL. AFTER BEING FUELED, THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN FROM NANTUCKET TO LAWRENCE, AND WAS RETURNING TO NANTUCKET WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FUEL TANKS WERE COMPROMISED DURING IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the total loss of engine power over unsuitable terrain, for undetermined reasons. The pilot's failure to ensure that proper survival equipment was onboard the airplane was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NANTUCKET
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02554
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ACK
Elevation of weather observation facility 48
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2049
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9258S
NTSB Number BFO94FA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 24R
Aircraft Series Identifier 24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-388
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 3364
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARDEN, REGINALD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 ORCHARD STREET
Aircraft Owner City ANDOVER
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01810
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 LWM
Departure City LAWRENCE
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ACK
Destination City NANTUCKET
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 --