20060204004969A

(-23) ON FEBRUARY 04, 2006, AIRCRAFT N667WP, A CIRRUS SR22 SERIAL NUMBER 0341, DEPARTED FROM WITHAM FIELD (SUA), ON A IFR FILED FLIGHT PLAN, DESTINED FOR THE ST. AUGUSTINE AIRPORT (SGJ). THE FILED FLIGHT SHOWS THAT 3 PERSONS WERE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE WEATHER AS REPORTED BY THE CONTROLLER ON DUTY, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, TO BE CEILING 900 FOOT AND OVERCAST WITH RAIN AND 4 MILES VISIBILITY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 12 ON A RUNWAY HEADING WHEN STUART TOWER HANDED THEM OFF TO PALM BEACH APPROACH. SHORTLY (5-7 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE) AFTER BEING HANDED OFF TO PALM BEACH APPROACH A RADIO COMMUNICATION (FEMALE VOICE) FROM THE AIRCRAFT (AT APPROXIMATELY 2400') WAS RECEIVED REPORTING AN INSTRUMENT PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO RETURN TO SUA. IT IS REPORTED THAT PALM BEACH APPROACH HAD RADAR CONTACT AND GAVE THE AIRCRAFT VECTORS FOR THE GPS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 12, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST FROM RADAR SHORTLY AFTER. THE LAST KNOWN LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT IS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES EAST AND 3 MILES NORTH OF THE ST. LUCIE INLET. PALM BEACH APPROACH CONTACTED STUART TOWER WHO CONTACTED MARTIN COUNTY SHERIFF AND LOCAL EMS. THE LOCAL EMS DISPATCHED A HELICOPTER, WHICH FLEW TO THE LAST KNOWN LOCATION, AFTER A BRIEF SEARCH FOUND DEBRIS IN THE WATER. THE FT. PIERCE BASED U.S. COAST GUARD DISPATCHED A HELICOPTER AND CUTTER FOR THE SEARCH AND RECOVERY. IT WAS LATER REPORTED BY THE COAST GUARD THAT THEY HAD FOUND THE DEBRIS FIELD THAT HAS INITIALLY FOUND A WHEEL, DOOR, BACKPACK, AND OIL (PETROLEUM) SLICK. ON FEBRUARY 05, 2006 IT WAS REPORTED BY INVESTIGATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT THE COAST GUARD HAD COLLECTED DEBRIS FROM THE AREA THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD GONE INTO THE WATER AND THE COLLECTED DEBRIS WAS BEING DELIVERED TO AND HOUSED BY THE PORT ST. LUCIE POLICE. THE COAST GUARD HAS YET TO FIND THE AIRCRAFT ITSELF. THE COAST GUARD HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A BALLISTIC PARACHUTE AND THAT PRECAUTIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN WHEN THE WRECKAGE IS FOUND. THE STUART JET AVIATION CENTER EMPLOYEE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WHO MARSHALLED THE ILL-FATED AIRCRAFT FROM THE RAMP, REPORTED THAT THREE PEOPLE DID BOARD THE AIRCRAFT, A MAN IN THE PILOT SEAT, A WOMAN IN THE CO-PILOT SEAT AND A YOUNGER MALE PASSENGER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MANAGER OF THE STUART JET AVIATION CENTER TOLD INV. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FUELED IN THE MORNING OF THE 4TH ANDTHAT HAS TAKEN A FUEL SAMPLE FROM THAT TRUCK. HE HAS ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN AT THE STUART JET AVIATION CENTER SINCE THE FIRST PART OF JANUARY. THE PEOPLE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE SCHEDULED TO MEET ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND EMPLOYED BY THE CIRRUS AIRCRAFT COMPANY AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE AIRPORT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IDENTIFIED THE PERSON ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT: PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RIGHT SEAT - ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND THE PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED TO INV. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN SOLD TO AN ENTITY IN HONDURAS AND HE WAS TO FLY BACK TO STUART WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND TRAIN HIM ON THAT AIRCRAFT SO THAT HE COULD FLY IT TO HONDURAS. HE ALSO STATED THAT SOUTHEAST AERO SERVICES IN ST AUGUSTINE PERFORMED THE LAST KNOWN MAINTENANCE AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS (MAINTENANCE RECORDS) WERE PROBABLY ON THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.