Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Croix
Wednesday, July 4, 1984 19:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 200 YARDS OFF THE NORTHWEST SHORE OF ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE IN STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLIGHT WITH THE ENG RUNNING UNTIL IT SUDDENLY PITCHED STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE OCEAN. THEY ALSO REPORTED THAT THE WX ALONG THE NORTHWEST COAST AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT CONSISTED OF RAIN, THUNDER, LIGHTNING & HIGH WIND. THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM THE ST. CROIX TWR APRX 7 MINS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF DURING WHICH HE WAS ADVISED OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTHWEST THRU NORTHEAST OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO 135 FT OF WATER & THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS SHOWED THE PLT'S BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.093% & THE PASSENGER'S WAS 0.081%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ST. CROIX
Event State VIRGIN ISLANDS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00820
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1915 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID MISX
Elevation of weather observation facility 61
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 926
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24659
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9321H
NTSB Number MIA84FA199
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 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 172666086
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 5 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 1267
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name L.E.G. ENTERPRISES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 8616
Aircraft Owner City ST. THOMAS
Aircraft Owner State VI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00801
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 MISX
Departure City ST. CROIX
Departure State VI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1920
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MIST
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --