What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 4, 2023, at around 9:17PM local time, a Cessna 172M, serial number 17262719, was flying under 14 CFR part 91, on an instrument flight plan from bqn to stt.
Aircraft was fueled to capacity at bqn. privacy data omittedDeparted bqn airport at 7:33PM ast heading east through RTE2 (local instrument airway). At touro intersection, aircraft joined the ILS RWY10 approach. The approach was ended with a missed approach. privacy data omittedThen turned right to a southerly heading, aircraft then continued to gradually turn right until a westbound heading was achieved in a steady climb at around 95KTS ground speed. At 09:14PM ast, aircraft started a right turn and performed a right 540° with an estimated diameter of 1.6 miles reaching a maximum pressure altitude of 6,450 ft. at that time, the aircraft appears to have entered a right spiraling descent reaching a maximum ground speed of 156KTS and a vertical speed of -9984 ft per minute (as per ADS-B data). Aircraft stopped transmitting ads-b-out data at 4,600FT pressure altitude while indicating 147KTS ground speed. Last known position was 018:19:40.98 n, 065:07:12.85 w. aircraft is presumed to have crashed nine miles west of St. Thomas, usvi with no survivors. There were two occupants onboard.
For blocks 21A and 21B, the technical and operational factors, none is selected, since the aircraft and occupants are not found.
For block 31, unknown is selected, since the investigation did not reveal if pilot action(s) did or did not contribute to the event.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 4, 2023, AT AROUND 9:17PM LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 172M, SERIAL NUMBER 17262719, WAS FLYING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FROM BQN TO STT.
AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED TO CAPACITY AT BQN. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^DEPARTED BQN AIRPORT AT 7:33PM AST HEADING EAST THROUGH RTE2 (LOCAL INSTRUMENT AIRWAY). AT TOURO INTERSECTION, AIRCRAFT JOINED THE ILS RWY10 APPROACH. THE APPROACH WAS ENDED WITH A MISSED APPROACH. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^THEN TURNED RIGHT TO A SOUTHERLY HEADING, AIRCRAFT THEN CONTINUED TO GRADUALLY TURN RIGHT UNTIL A WESTBOUND HEADING WAS ACHIEVED IN A STEADY CLIMB AT AROUND 95KTS GROUND SPEED. AT 09:14PM AST, AIRCRAFT STARTED A RIGHT TURN AND PERFORMED A RIGHT 540° WITH AN ESTIMATED DIAMETER OF 1.6 MILES REACHING A MAXIMUM PRESSURE ALTITUDE OF 6,450 FT. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE ENTERED A RIGHT SPIRALING DESCENT REACHING A MAXIMUM GROUND SPEED OF 156KTS AND A VERTICAL SPEED OF -9984 FT PER MINUTE (AS PER ADS-B DATA). AIRCRAFT STOPPED TRANSMITTING ADS-B-OUT DATA AT 4,600FT PRESSURE ALTITUDE WHILE INDICATING 147KTS GROUND SPEED. LAST KNOWN POSITION WAS 018:19:40.98 N, 065:07:12.85 W. AIRCRAFT IS PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED NINE MILES WEST OF ST. THOMAS, USVI WITH NO SURVIVORS. THERE WERE TWO OCCUPANTS ONBOARD.
FOR BLOCKS 21A AND 21B, THE TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL FACTORS, NONE IS SELECTED, SINCE THE AIRCRAFT AND OCCUPANTS ARE NOT FOUND.
FOR BLOCK 31, UNKNOWN IS SELECTED, SINCE THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL IF PILOT ACTION(S) DID OR DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE EVENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.