What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On December 22, 2001, at 1118 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 205, N55VX, ditched 15 miles off the coast of Bimini, Bahamas. The personal flight was conducted by the private pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged; the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated from marathon key, Florida. According to the pilot, he was on a short flight from marathon key to great harbor, Bahamas and back to kendall tamiami executive airport. The pilot stated when he took off from marathon key airport he had 5 hours of fuel in the airplane. The trip to great harbor from marathon was estimated at 1 hour 15 minutes. After take-off from great harbor, Bahamas, while in cruise flight at approximately 4500 feet, the engine started to sputter. Shortly after the engine sputter, the propeller stopped. After unsuccessfully trying to restart the engine, the pilot radioed mayday on 121.5. The pilot then ditched the airplane 15 miles off of the coast Bimini. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of the Bahamas. Any further information may be obtained from: director of civil aviation, p.o. box N-975, nassau, n.p., Bahamas, telephone: (809) 377-7281. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the bahamian government. (-23) departed mybg on VFR flight plan. Approximately 15 miles west of Bimini island, the engine sputtered twice and the propeller stopped. Declared emergency on 121.5. Configured aircraft for water landing. Landed aircraft in 6-8 foot seas. Within 30 seconds aircraft was swamped by ocean. Egressed aircraft through main cabin door. Aircraft sunk in 30 feet of ocean. Rescued by coast guard helicopter.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON DECEMBER 22, 2001, AT 1118 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 205, N55VX, DITCHED 15 MILES OFF THE COAST OF BIMINI, BAHAMAS. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MARATHON KEY, FLORIDA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ON A SHORT FLIGHT FROM MARATHON KEY TO GREAT HARBOR, BAHAMAS AND BACK TO KENDALL TAMIAMI EXECUTIVE AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED WHEN HE TOOK OFF FROM MARATHON KEY AIRPORT HE HAD 5 HOURS OF FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE. THE TRIP TO GREAT HARBOR FROM MARATHON WAS ESTIMATED AT 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES. AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM GREAT HARBOR, BAHAMAS, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 4500 FEET, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER. SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE SPUTTER, THE PROPELLER STOPPED. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PILOT RADIOED MAYDAY ON 121.5. THE PILOT THEN DITCHED THE AIRPLANE 15 MILES OFF OF THE COAST BIMINI. THE INVESTIGATION IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS. ANY FURTHER INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM: DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, P.O. BOX N-975, NASSAU, N.P., BAHAMAS, TELEPHONE: (809) 377-7281. THIS REPORT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND CONTAINS ONLY INFORMATION RELEASED BY THE BAHAMIAN GOVERNMENT. (-23) DEPARTED MYBG ON VFR FLIGHT PLAN. APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES WEST OF BIMINI ISLAND, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED TWICE AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED. DECLARED EMERGENCY ON 121.5. CONFIGURED AIRCRAFT FOR WATER LANDING. LANDED AIRCRAFT IN 6-8 FOOT SEAS. WITHIN 30 SECONDS AIRCRAFT WAS SWAMPED BY OCEAN. EGRESSED AIRCRAFT THROUGH MAIN CABIN DOOR. AIRCRAFT SUNK IN 30 FEET OF OCEAN. RESCUED BY COAST GUARD HELICOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.