# Accident 20040410016979A: Pilats P305, Edgewater, FL, April 10, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 10, 2004, 11:00 local time
- Place: Edgewater, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.0778° N, 81.0444° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0778&lon=-81.0444&mi=10
- Aircraft: N860MK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N860MK-2005-01-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pilatus P3-05 (registry code 7090101, https://openairdocs.org/model/pilatus-p3-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming GO-480 series (registry code 41527, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-go-480-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PILATS P305
- Reported engine: LYC IGO480*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 1,800 total, 450 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD04LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD04LA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040410016979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) INSPECTOR STATEMENT: ON 04/10/2004 N860MK WAS PART OF A 3 AIRCRAFT FORMATION WHICH WAS PROCEEDING NORTH BOUND OVER THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY BETWEEN TITUSVILLE AND NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA. THE AIRCRAFT WERE IN A SLOW DESCENT THRU APPROXIMATELY 1700 FEET TO COMPLY WITH THE CLASS C AIRSPACE AHEAD. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT WAS N860MK A PILATUS P3-05 WHILE THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS WERE RV-8 AIRCRAFT. AS REPORTED BY THE WING AIRCRAFT, THE LEAD AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY STARTED A LEFT ERRATIC TURN TO A WEST BOUND HEADING. THE LEFT WING QUESTIONED THE LEAD AS TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE GETTING A REPLY. DURING THIS TIME BOTH WING AIRCRAFT OBSERVED DARK SMOKE OR VAPOR STREAMING FROM THE EXHAUST AREA AND THE CANOPY OBSCURED BY THE SAME. THE FIRST REPLY FROM N860MK WAS "I'M LOSING POWER, I HAVE ZERO OIL PRESSURE AND I CAN'T SEE, I CAN'T SEE, HELP ME." THE WING AIRCRAFT STATED THAT IT WAS APPARENT THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE EITHER OF THE CLOSEST AIRPORTS, (MASSY AIR RANCH OR OAK HILL). THE RIGHT WING AIRCRAFT BROKE OFF FORMATION AND FLEW HIGH COVER WHILE THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT TRIED TO STEER N860MK TO AN OPEN MARSH AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT N860MK WAS NOT RESPONDING TO HIS DIRECTIONS AND WAS HAVING A HARD TIME BECAUSE HE WAS TOTALLY BLINDED BY THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND CANOPY. THE PILOT OF N860MK THEN OPENED THE CANOPY FOR BETTER VISIBILITY, BUT NOW WITH OIL COVERING HIS FACE, THE SITUATION IMPROVED VERY LITTLE. THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT TRIED TO GET HIM IN TO THE LAST SMALL CLEARING AVAILABLE WITH NO SUCCESS. THE LEFT WING AIRCRAFT REMAINED WITH N860MK CONTINUING HIS EFFORTS UNTIL JUST BEFORE IMPACT. N860MK IMPACTED THE TREES IN A CONTROLLED WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE, GEAR DOWN, AND STILL STREAMING OIL FROM THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD04LA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD04LA016), Apr 10, 2004: Pilatus P3-05 (N860MK), Edgewater, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The delamination of the no. 2 connecting rod bearing for undetermined reasons, resulting in a total loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inability to complete a successful…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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