West Palm Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palm Beach, Florida 33406
Wednesday, March 30, 1983 20:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT DITCHED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN 5 MILES EAST OF PALM BEACH FL AFTER AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AND ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED BOCA RATON AT 1950 EST. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE. ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE QUIT. HE TRIED A RESTART WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND DITCHED THE ACFT IN THE OCEAN WATER WHERE HE WAS RESCUED BY A FISHING BOAT. THE ACFT SANK AND WAS NOT RECOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PALM BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33406
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEST PALM BEACH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PBI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 991
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21300
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 N55AG
NTSB Number MIA83LA108
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 182 RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 182 RG
Aircraft Serial Number R-182000034
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Feb 10 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2550
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN E. GODWIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32 TODD WAY, IMPERIAL TERRACE
Aircraft Owner City TAVERES
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32778
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ATLANTIC AERO INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 19608
Operator City GREENSBOSO
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27419
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 BCT
Departure City BOCA RATON
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1950
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City FT. PIERCE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --