Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Sunday, February 7, 1993 16:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REQUESTED AND WAS ISSUED A FERRY PERMIT FROM THE FAA FOR THE FLIGHT FROM SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, TO FORT LAUDERDALE. HE CONVEYED HIS CONFIDENCE TO A FRIEND THAT HE COULD ACCOMPLISH THE FLIGHT WITHOUT A REFUELING STOP. ABOUT 6 HOURS 38 MINUTES LATER HE REPORTED BOTH ENGINES HAD FAILED AND HE WAS DITCHING. THE AIRPLANE AND THE PILOT WERE NOT RECOVERED. THE INJURY AND DAMAGE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE PRESUMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITIES AND THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF BOTH ENGINES DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM IN-FLIGHT FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS, AND THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1638
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1638 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID FLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 256
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52082
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5044Y
NTSB Number MIA93LA064
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 272052
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/Foreign Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARIBBEAN COMMODITIES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3724 AIRPORT STATION
Aircraft Owner City SAN JUAN
Aircraft Owner State PR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00937
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CARIBBEAN COMMODITIES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3724 AIRPORT STATION
Operator City SAN JUAN
Operator State PR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 00937
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TSJU
Departure City SAN JUAN
Departure State PR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KHWO
Destination City HOLLYWOOD
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --