# NTSB CEN19TA321: Piper PA46, N218MW, Gulf of Mexico, September 15, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Final report - Date: September 15, 2019, 11:46 local (16:46 UTC) - Place: Gulf of Mexico - Coordinates: 28.866945, -89.302223 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8669&lon=-89.3022&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 100264 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19TA321 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100264/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100264 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19TA321 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during a cross-country flight, he descended the airplane from 10,500 ft to 1,500 ft, then configured the airplane for a climb; however, the engine did not respond to the application of power and the airplane began losing altitude. After performing the emergency checklist, the pilot was not able to restore power to the engine. The pilot declared an emergency, activated the emergency locator transmitter, and ditched the airplane in the water. The airplane sank and was not recovered, thus the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2019, at 1146 central daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P, N218MW, lost engine power while maneuvering over the Gulf of Mexico, and the pilot was forced to ditch. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Mailworks, Inc., Spring Valley, California, under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and the flight was operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated at 0830 eastern daylight time from Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX), Titusville, Florida, and was en route to Ozona Municipal Airport (OZA), Ozona, Texas. His final destination was Gillespie Field Airport (SEE), El Cajon, California. According to the pilot's accident report, he departed TIX with 140 gallons of fuel. After crossing Gulfport (GPT), Mississippi's Terminal Radar Service Area (TRSA) at 10,500 ft, he initiated a slow descent over Boothville, Louisiana, and proceeded southbound towards the mouth of the Mississippi River, descending to 1,500 ft. He then configured the airplane for climb. The engine did not respond to the application of power and the airplane began losing altitude. After going through the emergency checklist, he was unable to restore engine power, and declared an emergency to Houston air route traffic control center (ARTCC) and on frequency 121.5 mHz. He also activated the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) prior to ditching. After ditching, the pilot put on his life jacket, exited the airplane, and remained on its wing until it sank. About an hour later, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter rescued the pilot and transported him to a hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was discharged a few hours later. The airplane has not been recovered. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N218MW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N218MW-2020-01-31), registration cancelled 2020-01-31, S/N 4636470, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA46 (350P) - Registry model: [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (registry code 7104620) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-ae2a) (registry code 41999, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4636470 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 1116 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 26, 2019, 30 hours before - Departed: TIX, Titusville, FL - Destination: OZA, Ozona, TX - Equipment: Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 4, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,500 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 3,400 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 16 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190915023929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190915023929A), Sep 15, 2019: Piper PA 46-350P, Galliano, LA, Destroyed. Aircraft departed ktix (titusville, FL.) Enroute to ksee (san diego, CA.). Aircraft descended from 10,500 ft MSL to 1500 ft MSL. When power was applied to… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100264. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476361&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Email from Insurance Company (item 2, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476362&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20from%20Insurance%20Company-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.