What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The airplane was equipped with 2 VOR and 1 adf receivers; no GPS receiver was installed. The pilot was using an incorrect route segment for the flight. The pilot advised the ARTCC controller that only 1 VOR receiver was operable, the adf was inoperative, and he was unable to receive the VOR signal from great exuma, where he planned to refuel. The flight continued then the pilot advised the controller that the engine was running rough and the flight descended to 4,000 feet, where radio contact was lost. A 4-DAY search for the airplane was performed with negative results. The pilot had never flown in the Bahamas or caribbean before while acting as pilot-in-command and had never flown a Cessna 182 before. The destination airport does not have an instrument approach and landing at night is not permitted. The calculated arrival time was after the end of civil twilight at the destination airport. The VOR located on great exuma island, Bahamas, maintained by the airway facilities section of the department of civil aviation, Bahamas, was out of service on the day of the flight and had been out of service since March 1996; no NOTAM was in effect on the day of the flight, and th is information was not published. (-23) pilot had just recently completed commercial/instrument flight training and received his certificates. Mr. Wegereef had received further experience in lr 35 aircraft at professional flight crew services in melbourne, FL. Pilot had approx. 300 total hours and was still somewhat inexperienced. Pilot apparently became lost flying from kingston, jamaica to georgetown, Bahamas. Pilot experienced disorientation and engine failure (assumed to befrom fuel exhaustion) somewhere around turks & caicos islands. Pilot and aircraft have not been found.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH 2 VOR AND 1 ADF RECEIVERS; NO GPS RECEIVER WAS INSTALLED. THE PILOT WAS USING AN INCORRECT ROUTE SEGMENT FOR THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT ADVISED THE ARTCC CONTROLLER THAT ONLY 1 VOR RECEIVER WAS OPERABLE, THE ADF WAS INOPERATIVE, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE THE VOR SIGNAL FROM GREAT EXUMA, WHERE HE PLANNED TO REFUEL. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THEN THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND THE FLIGHT DESCENDED TO 4,000 FEET, WHERE RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. A 4-DAY SEARCH FOR THE AIRPLANE WAS PERFORMED WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THE PILOT HAD NEVER FLOWN IN THE BAHAMAS OR CARIBBEAN BEFORE WHILE ACTING AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND HAD NEVER FLOWN A CESSNA 182 BEFORE. THE DESTINATION AIRPORT DOES NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH AND LANDING AT NIGHT IS NOT PERMITTED. THE CALCULATED ARRIVAL TIME WAS AFTER THE END OF CIVIL TWILIGHT AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE VOR LOCATED ON GREAT EXUMA ISLAND, BAHAMAS, MAINTAINED BY THE AIRWAY FACILITIES SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AVIATION, BAHAMAS, WAS OUT OF SERVICE ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT AND HAD BEEN OUT OF SERVICE SINCE MARCH 1996; NO NOTAM WAS IN EFFECT ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT, AND TH IS INFORMATION WAS NOT PUBLISHED. (-23) PILOT HAD JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED COMMERCIAL/INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TRAINING AND RECEIVED HIS CERTIFICATES. MR. WEGEREEF HAD RECEIVED FURTHER EXPERIENCE IN LR 35 AIRCRAFT AT PROFESSIONAL FLIGHT CREW SERVICES IN MELBOURNE, FL. PILOT HAD APPROX. 300 TOTAL HOURS AND WAS STILL SOMEWHAT INEXPERIENCED. PILOT APPARENTLY BECAME LOST FLYING FROM KINGSTON, JAMAICA TO GEORGETOWN, BAHAMAS. PILOT EXPERIENCED DISORIENTATION AND ENGINE FAILURE (ASSUMED TO BEFROM FUEL EXHAUSTION) SOMEWHERE AROUND TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS. PILOT AND AIRCRAFT HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.