# NTSB ERA10LA426: Cessna 172N, N44WH, August 15, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 14, 2010, 21:39 local (Aug 15, 2010, 01:39 UTC) - Coordinates: 25.155277, -81.801391 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.1553&lon=-81.8014&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 11, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76975 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10LA426 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76975/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76975 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA426 ## Probable cause A total 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: [Cessna 172N, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2072434), [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. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=2072434), [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: [Cessna 172N, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, during cruise flight the airplane's engine lost power and he was unable to restart it. He subsequently ditched the airplane in the Gulf of Mexico. He reported that the airplane had been refueled on the morning of the accident; however, documentation from the fixed base operator revealed that the most recent refueling of the airplane was the day prior. After ditching, the airplane sank and was not recovered. ## Factual narrative On August 14, 2010, approximately 2139 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N44WH, registered to Gulf Atlantic Airways, ditched in the Gulf of Mexico, following a loss of engine power. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The personal flight departed Bartow Municipal Airport (BOW), Bartow, Florida and was destined for Key West International Airport (EYW), Key West, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to a written statement from the pilot, the flight originated from the Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), Gainesville, Florida around noon on the day of the accident, flew to BOW and then departed "around sunset." Approximately 50 miles from EYW the engine "lost power at 7,000 feet" and he was unable to restart it, the airplane impacted the water, nosed over, and sank. During the flight the pilot reported that he had deviated around weather. He further reported that the airplane's fuel tanks had been "topped off" in GNV the morning of the accident. According to information provided by a specialist at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center, the pilot deviated to the right of course to pass an area of weather by 5 miles. The deviation was about 15 minutes prior to the ditching. According to the fixed base operator at GNV, the airplane was last refueled on August 13, 2010 with 14.1 gallons of avgas. According to documentation provided by Lockheed Martin Flight Service Station personnel, the pilot contacted them and filed a flight plan at 1950. The pilot reported at that time approximately 4:00 hours of fuel on board, the estimated time enroute was 1 hour 30 minutes, and that his proposed departure time was at 1959. According to FAA records the pilot, age 33, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on October 6, 2008. The pilot indicated 2,000 total hours of flight experience and 100 total hours of flight experience in the accident aircraft make and model. According to maintenance records the airplane and engine's most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on June 29, 2010. At the time of the entry the tachometer indicated 12,508.0 total hours in service and the engine had 590 hours since overhaul. The 2153 recorded weather observation at EYW, included winds from 040 degrees at 4 knots, clear skies, temperature 30 degrees C, dew point 26 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of mercury. At the time of this writing the airplane wreckage had not been recovered. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N44WH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44WH-2014-12-03), registration cancelled 2014-12-03, S/N 17272313, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17272313 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gulf Atlantic Airways DBA - Registered owner: Gulf Atlantic Airways DBA - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Departed: BOW, Bartow, FL - Destination: EYW, Key West, FL - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,000 total, 100 in this make and model, 1,500 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 40° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KEYW, 35 nm away ## 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 20100814048319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100814048319A), Aug 14, 2010: Cessna 172N, Key West, FL, Destroyed. On August 14, 2010 at 2139, N44WH a Cessna 172N registered to gulf atlantic airways operating 14 CFR part 91 impacted the water approximately 34 miles north of… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76975. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347771&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement to FAA (item 2, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335509&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20to%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - Operator Fuel Receipt (item 3, .PDF, 787 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335510&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operator%20Fuel%20Receipt-Redacted.PDF - Air Traffic Control Transcript (item 4, .PDF, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40346967&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Air%20Traffic%20Control%20Transcript-Redacted.PDF - Desintation Airport Weather (item 5, .PDF, 10 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335511&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Desintation%20Airport%20Weather-Master.PDF - Airplane Maintenance Logbooks [Excerpts] (item 6, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40335512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airplane%20Maintenance%20Logbooks%20%5BExcerpts%5D-Redacted.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.