19970508009679A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172RG · Abbeyville, LA · May 8, 1997

Date: May 8, 1997 · 16:30 local
Place: Abbeyville, LA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6505V
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97FA181
Reported as: Cessna 172RG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N6505VRegistration cancelled Nov 21, 1997 · Cessna 172RGS/N 172RG0738 Airframe modelCessna 172RG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft on a fish spotting flight, crashed. (-23) Mr. Gary wilkins departed abbeville municipal airport at approximately 1610 central standard time and reported visual check point "ghost town" at approximately 1615. He was cruising at 1000 AGL, 126 KTS, and headed due south. At approximately 1630, he reported that he was feeling ill. At approximately the same time, his supervisor radioed back to Mr. Wilkins, asking him if he was okay. There was no reply. Numerous attempts were made, trying to contact Mr. Wilkins, with no success. At approximately 1645, another pilot spotted an oil slick and debris on the water approximately eight miles south of intercoastal city, Louisiana. At approximately 1710, boats arrived at the scene and began retrieving the wreckage of aircraft N6505V. The body of Mr. Wilkins was located off the coast of cameron parish at approximately 1600, may 11, 1997. The aircraft, engine, and pilot logbooks were lost during the accident.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT ON A FISH SPOTTING FLIGHT, CRASHED. (-23) MR. GARY WILKINS DEPARTED ABBEVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1610 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME AND REPORTED VISUAL CHECK POINT "GHOST TOWN" AT APPROXIMATELY 1615. HE WAS CRUISING AT 1000 AGL, 126 KTS, AND HEADED DUE SOUTH. AT APPROXIMATELY 1630, HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS FEELING ILL. AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME, HIS SUPERVISOR RADIOED BACK TO MR. WILKINS, ASKING HIM IF HE WAS OKAY. THERE WAS NO REPLY. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS WERE MADE, TRYING TO CONTACT MR. WILKINS, WITH NO SUCCESS. AT APPROXIMATELY 1645, ANOTHER PILOT SPOTTED AN OIL SLICK AND DEBRIS ON THE WATER APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES SOUTH OF INTERCOASTAL CITY, LOUISIANA. AT APPROXIMATELY 1710, BOATS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND BEGAN RETRIEVING THE WRECKAGE OF AIRCRAFT N6505V. THE BODY OF MR. WILKINS WAS LOCATED OFF THE COAST OF CAMERON PARISH AT APPROXIMATELY 1600, MAY 11, 1997. THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE, AND PILOT LOGBOOKS WERE LOST DURING THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97FA181Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportIntracoastal, LAthe pilot's decision to fly, when he was not in good physical condition; and his subsequent loss of aircraft control due to incapacitation. A related factor was: the pilot's perception of an urgency (pressure) to fly, induced by conditions/events.May 8, 1997 · Destroyed

Other reports on N6505V · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870905076109ILevel Off Touchdown · Dallas, TXLanded with gear up. Had electrical problems. No audible or visual warnings about gear. Tower used light gun.Sep 5, 1987 · Minor damage