What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 17, 2003, about 0910, eastern standard time, a Piper PA-23-250, N54835, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, crashed into the atlantic ocean, about 8 miles east of Miami, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and three passengers received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated the same day, about 0859. According to information received from the U.S. Coast guard, at 1143, the coast guard was notified that an airplane with four persons onboard, had been reported overdue on a flight from kendall-tamiami executive airport, Miami, Florida, to south bimini airport, in the Bahamas. At 1146, the coast guard launched search and rescue assets, and at 1226, discovered a debris field and oil sheen 8 miles east of the Miami harbor entrance, Miami, Florida. The debris was confirmed to have pertained to N54835. (-23) aircraft departed tmb at 1348Z on 02/17/2003 on VFR flight plan for bimini. Aircraft climbed to an altitude of 4500 feet then began a slow desce nt and southerly turn until impacting the ocean approximately 8 miles off the coast of Miami, Florida. The wreckage was not recovered and is in approximately 1100 feet of water. Only minimal wreckage was recovered by the coast guard and was viewed with the NTSB.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 17, 2003, ABOUT 0910, EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-23-250, N54835, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, ABOUT 8 MILES EAST OF MIAMI, FLORIDA. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA AT THE TIME, AND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 0859. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE U.S. COAST GUARD, AT 1143, THE COAST GUARD WAS NOTIFIED THAT AN AIRPLANE WITH FOUR PERSONS ONBOARD, HAD BEEN REPORTED OVERDUE ON A FLIGHT FROM KENDALL-TAMIAMI EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, MIAMI, FLORIDA, TO SOUTH BIMINI AIRPORT, IN THE BAHAMAS. AT 1146, THE COAST GUARD LAUNCHED SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSETS, AND AT 1226, DISCOVERED A DEBRIS FIELD AND OIL SHEEN 8 MILES EAST OF THE MIAMI HARBOR ENTRANCE, MIAMI, FLORIDA. THE DEBRIS WAS CONFIRMED TO HAVE PERTAINED TO N54835. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TMB AT 1348Z ON 02/17/2003 ON VFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR BIMINI. AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 4500 FEET THEN BEGAN A SLOW DESCE NT AND SOUTHERLY TURN UNTIL IMPACTING THE OCEAN APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES OFF THE COAST OF MIAMI, FLORIDA. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED AND IS IN APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET OF WATER. ONLY MINIMAL WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED BY THE COAST GUARD AND WAS VIEWED WITH THE NTSB.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.