Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Saturday, November 17, 1990 16:45 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT BECAME LOST. HE CIRCLED A SHIP & DUE TO A LOW FUEL SUPPLY, DITCHED THE ACFT. THE PLT & ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT RECOVERED. TWO PASSENGERS WERE RESCUED BY THE SHIP. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE PLT NEVER INFORMED THEM THAT HE WAS LOST BUT HE WAS HAVING COMPASS PROBLEMS & WAS FRANTICALLY LOOKING AT CHARTS. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH TWO VOR RECEIVERS & ONE ADF. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS LISTED FOR THE VOR OR NDB NAVIGATIONAL AIDS AT THE DESTINATION ARPT. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FOUR MAN LIFE RAFT & FOUR LIFE VESTS BUT ONE OF THE PASSENGERS INFLATED THE LIFE RAFT BEFORE DITCHING. HE PUNCTURED IT TO REGAIN SPACE. THE LIFE VESTS WERE NOT LOCATED BY THE OCCUPANTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

DELAY OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE AND, AS A RESULT, HE DITCHED THE AIRPLANE NEAR A BOAT DUE TO A LOW FUEL SUPPLY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1646 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 264
Weather Observation Facility ID STT
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 265
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1860
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1932
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43757
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51101
NTSB Number MIA91LA027
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274267
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 13 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 73
Airframe Hours 4104
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HODGE, CLEOPHASE U.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 AVE. P.O. BOX 4021
Aircraft Owner City ST. THOMAS
Aircraft Owner State VI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HODGE, CLEOPHAS U.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1 AVE. P.O. BOX 4021
Operator City ST. THOMAS
Operator State VI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 00801
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 TUPJ
Departure City BEEF ISLAND
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TNCM
Destination City ST. MAARTEN
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --