What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On January 1, 2002, about 1802 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-31-250, registered to, and operated by air taxi inc., as a title 14 CFR part 135 on demand air taxi flight, ditched in the atlantic ocean near Hollywood, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot, and 3 passengers received serious injuries, and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from north eleuthera island, in the Bahamas, the same day, about 1635. According to an official with the FAA fort Lauderdale air traffic control tower (ATCT), the pilot of the accident aircraft had initially declared "minimum fuel" to an FAA miami air route traffic control center (ARTCC) controller, and after receiving a communications hand off to the control tower controller he declared an emergency, stating that he had a minimum fuel situation, and will be ditching the aircraft short of the shoreline. The aircraft ditched about 300 yards from the dania beach shoreline, in about 15 feet of water. (-23) on 01/02/02, about 1802 eastern daylight time, Piper PA-31-250, registered to and operated by air taxi, inc., as a title 14 CFR part 135 on demand air taxi flight, ditched in the atlantic ocean near Hollywood, FL. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot, and 3 passengers received serious injuries and 1 passenger sustained fatal injuries. The a/c incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from north eleutheral island, in the Bahamas the same day, about 1635. According to an official with the FAA ft. Lauderdale air traffic control tower (ATCT), the pilot of the accident a/c had initially declared "minimum fuel" to an FAA miami air route traffic control center (ARTCC) controller and after receiving a communications hand off to the control tower controller he declared an emergency, stating that he had a minimum fuel situation and will be ditching the a/c short of the shoreline. The a/c ditched about 300 yards from the dania beach shoreline inabout 15 feet of water.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JANUARY 1, 2002, ABOUT 1802 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-31-250, REGISTERED TO, AND OPERATED BY AIR TAXI INC., AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 ON DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT, DITCHED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN NEAR HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT, AND 3 PASSENGERS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM NORTH ELEUTHERA ISLAND, IN THE BAHAMAS, THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1635. ACCORDING TO AN OFFICIAL WITH THE FAA FORT LAUDERDALE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER (ATCT), THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT HAD INITIALLY DECLARED "MINIMUM FUEL" TO AN FAA MIAMI AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) CONTROLLER, AND AFTER RECEIVING A COMMUNICATIONS HAND OFF TO THE CONTROL TOWER CONTROLLER HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, STATING THAT HE HAD A MINIMUM FUEL SITUATION, AND WILL BE DITCHING THE AIRCRAFT SHORT OF THE SHORELINE. THE AIRCRAFT DITCHED ABOUT 300 YARDS FROM THE DANIA BEACH SHORELINE, IN ABOUT 15 FEET OF WATER. (-23) ON 01/02/02, ABOUT 1802 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, PIPER PA-31-250, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY AIR TAXI, INC., AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 ON DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT, DITCHED IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN NEAR HOLLYWOOD, FL. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT, AND 3 PASSENGERS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND 1 PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE A/C INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM NORTH ELEUTHERAL ISLAND, IN THE BAHAMAS THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1635. ACCORDING TO AN OFFICIAL WITH THE FAA FT. LAUDERDALE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER (ATCT), THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT A/C HAD INITIALLY DECLARED "MINIMUM FUEL" TO AN FAA MIAMI AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) CONTROLLER AND AFTER RECEIVING A COMMUNICATIONS HAND OFF TO THE CONTROL TOWER CONTROLLER HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, STATING THAT HE HAD A MINIMUM FUEL SITUATION AND WILL BE DITCHING THE A/C SHORT OF THE SHORELINE. THE A/C DITCHED ABOUT 300 YARDS FROM THE DANIA BEACH SHORELINE INABOUT 15 FEET OF WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.