What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 20, 2014, at approx. 1245 eastern time (et), N737TP, a Cessna 172N, registered by lily aviation corp. and operated by dean international inc. (D4RS - part 141 pilot school) departed from Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (tmb) for instructor planned pattern work around tmb. Air traffic control (ATC) gave requested clearance to head southeast towards biscayne bay at 1346 et. At 1446 et, the aircraft impacted the water off Elliott Key, approximately 150 yards from the northeast shore line. The student pilot, the sole occupant onboard, did not survive the impact and the aircraft was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Winds were out of the sw @ 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots with 10 miles visibility. Based on witness statements; two female witnesses looked up at the direction of the sound of the airplane and saw the aircraft pitch nose up momentarily for a second or two, then proceeded to fall straight nose down until they lost sight of it behind the tree line then heard the impact in the water. Two male witnesses heard the high pitch noise of the engine, turned to look and saw the aircraft diving straight down, lost sight of it behind the tree line on the island and then heard a loud impact. From initial sighting to impact approximate time was 4-5 seconds. All parties stated that they did not see any parts missing from the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 20, 2014, AT APPROX. 1245 EASTERN TIME (ET), N737TP, A CESSNA 172N, REGISTERED BY LILY AVIATION CORP. AND OPERATED BY DEAN INTERNATIONAL INC. (D4RS - PART 141 PILOT SCHOOL) DEPARTED FROM KENDALL-TAMIAMI EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (TMB) FOR INSTRUCTOR PLANNED PATTERN WORK AROUND TMB. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) GAVE REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO HEAD SOUTHEAST TOWARDS BISCAYNE BAY AT 1346 ET. AT 1446 ET, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER OFF ELLIOTT KEY, APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS FROM THE NORTHEAST SHORE LINE. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ONBOARD, DID NOT SURVIVE THE IMPACT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SW @ 8 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY. BASED ON WITNESS STATEMENTS; TWO FEMALE WITNESSES LOOKED UP AT THE DIRECTION OF THE SOUND OF THE AIRPLANE AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT PITCH NOSE UP MOMENTARILY FOR A SECOND OR TWO, THEN PROCEEDED TO FALL STRAIGHT NOSE DOWN UNTIL THEY LOST SIGHT OF IT BEHIND THE TREE LINE THEN HEARD THE IMPACT IN THE WATER. TWO MALE WITNESSES HEARD THE HIGH PITCH NOISE OF THE ENGINE, TURNED TO LOOK AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT DIVING STRAIGHT DOWN, LOST SIGHT OF IT BEHIND THE TREE LINE ON THE ISLAND AND THEN HEARD A LOUD IMPACT. FROM INITIAL SIGHTING TO IMPACT APPROXIMATE TIME WAS 4-5 SECONDS. ALL PARTIES STATED THAT THEY DID NOT SEE ANY PARTS MISSING FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.