20150623009939I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 172RG · Shell Key, LA · June 23, 2015

Date: June 23, 2015 · 16:30 local
Place: Shell Key, LA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N6519V
Reported as: Cessna 172RG
Reported engine: Lycoming O-360 F1A6
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N6519VRegistration cancelled Jan 18, 2017 · Cessna 172RGS/N 172RG0746 · Built 1980 Airframe modelCessna 172RG Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Jun 23, 2015-

Aircraft was on a fish-spotting mission in northern gulf of Mexico. Per company personnel, mission was approximately 4 hours which is typical and within fuel endurance of aircraft.

At conclusion of mission, after initiating a return-to-base, pilot notified company over company radio that engine was producing smoke had quit, but restarted. Before company personnel could ascertain if smoke was in or out of cockpit, engine quit again and pilot ditched aircraft.

2131Z (1631CDT) ATC received relay that aircraft was broadcasting on guard that another aircraft had ditched and pilot was in water in raft. Coordinates relayed to zhu. Notification initiated to USCG, roc, den, rcc.

2144Z zhu received notification that pilot had been rescued by passing boat.

Aircraft sank into the gulf in approximately 14 feet of water. Subsequent efforts to locate and recover failed.

As the FAA filed it

JUN 23, 2015-

AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FISH-SPOTTING MISSION IN NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. PER COMPANY PERSONNEL, MISSION WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS WHICH IS TYPICAL AND WITHIN FUEL ENDURANCE OF AIRCRAFT.

AT CONCLUSION OF MISSION, AFTER INITIATING A RETURN-TO-BASE, PILOT NOTIFIED COMPANY OVER COMPANY RADIO THAT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING SMOKE HAD QUIT, BUT RESTARTED. BEFORE COMPANY PERSONNEL COULD ASCERTAIN IF SMOKE WAS IN OR OUT OF COCKPIT, ENGINE QUIT AGAIN AND PILOT DITCHED AIRCRAFT.

2131Z (1631CDT) ATC RECEIVED RELAY THAT AIRCRAFT WAS BROADCASTING ON GUARD THAT ANOTHER AIRCRAFT HAD DITCHED AND PILOT WAS IN WATER IN RAFT. COORDINATES RELAYED TO ZHU. NOTIFICATION INITIATED TO USCG, ROC, DEN, RCC.

2144Z ZHU RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT PILOT HAD BEEN RESCUED BY PASSING BOAT.

AIRCRAFT SANK INTO THE GULF IN APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET OF WATER. SUBSEQUENT EFFORTS TO LOCATE AND RECOVER FAILED.