Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Wednesday, July 18, 2001 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Cessna 172, was ditched off the coast of Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island, after a partial loss of engine power. The flight departed Fort Lauderdale Executive, Florida. According to the pilot, while making a descent from 5500 feet to 4500 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot began the necessary emergency procedures to regain full power of the engine. The engine never regained full power, and he elected to ditch in the ocean. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean for examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/2001
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Atlantic Ocean
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
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 2300 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MYGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) 1641
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11630
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2051
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 21 2002 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13237
NTSB Number ATL01LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17262598
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
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 Yvonne C. Smith
Aircraft Owner Street Address 128 Santa Maria
Aircraft Owner City Freeport
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country BF
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Robert Taylor
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6610 Tyler st.
Operator City Hollywood
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33024
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FXE
Departure City Fort Lauderdale
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MYGF
Destination City FREEPORT
Destination State --
Destination Country BF
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 1 2002 10:49AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --