Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St John's Canada
Saturday, December 19, 1998 15:13 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On December 19, 1998, at 1513 Atlantic Standard Time, a Cessna U206G, N4688C, was destroyed after a forced landing at sea, about 190 nautical miles southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An international flight plan was filed for the flight between Santa Maria Airport (LPAZ), Azores, Portugal, and St. John's Airport (CYYT). The ferry flight was conducted under international flight rules. According to Canadian aviation authorities, the pilot advised Gander Approach Control Center that he was encountering strong headwinds, and that he did not have sufficient fuel to make it to St. John's. A search and rescue aircraft was in the area, and suggested the pilot try to ditch in the vicinity of the Hibernia oil rig. The pilot ditched near the platform in heavy seas. He survived the landing, but perished as a result of the icy water. According to a representative of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the pilot ditched about 300 meters in front of the oil rig's supply boat. The boat came alongside, and the pilot requested a line be thrown to him. The pilot was wearing an exposure suit, but it was not zipped up. The line was thrown, but the pilot did not respond to it. Two crewmen from the supply boat descended a rope ladder, and attempted to pull the pilot up in 40-foot seas. However, the weight of the pilot and the water in the exposure suit in the high seas made recovery impossible. The crew was finally able to secure the pilot with netting, and brought him onboard. The crew gave the pilot CPR for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, while transferring him to the oil rig. The pilot was eventually transferred to a hospital in St. Johns, but was never resuscitated. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of Canada. Further information may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 23 East Wilmot Street Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B1A3 Tel: (905) 771-7676

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/19/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1513
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ST JOHN'S
Event State --
Event Country CANADA
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
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 Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2003 12:56PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4688C
NTSB Number NYC99WA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model U206G
Aircraft Series Identifier U206G
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2183
Operator City REDLANDS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92373
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAZ
Departure City SANTA MARIA
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code YYT
Destination City
Destination State CD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2000 5:51PM
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 --