Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

White Stone, Virginia 22578
Thursday, October 4, 2001 7:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane departed on a fish spotting flight over the Chesapeake Bay with 20 gallons of fuel onboard. About 45-minutes into the flight, the airplane was 5 miles off shore at an altitude of 2,500 feet when the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and could not make it to the shoreline. He ditched the airplane in 50-foot deep water, and was rescued by the crew of a fishing vessel. Due to environmental concerns, the airplane was not recovered. The pilot did not know the cause of the engine failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/2001
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City White Stone
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22578
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 10
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 754 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID PHF
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.12
Density Altitude (feet) 116
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 13383
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office RICHMOND FAA/FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80562
NTSB Number IAD02LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
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 17266653
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Apr 3 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 400
Airframe Hours 18000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLIE AND SONJIA PITTMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BEAUFORT
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28516
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VA98
Departure City REEDVILLE
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City CHESAPEAKE BAY
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 11 2002 2:20PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --