# NTSB ERA16LA009: Cessna 172N, N733VB, Miami Beach, FL, October 11, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 11, 2015, 15:37 local (19:37 UTC) - Place: Miami Beach, FL - Coordinates: 25.79, -79.925834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.7900&lon=-79.9258&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 25, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92155 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA009 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92155/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92155 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA009 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered from the ocean after the ditching. ## 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: 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: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: 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 The private pilot reported that, while en route at an altitude of about 3,500 ft mean sea level about 20 miles off the coast of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean, the airplane experienced a “partial loss of power followed by a complete engine failure.” He was unable to restore power and decided to glide as close to the coastline as possible. He ditched the airplane about 11 miles from the shore. The airplane was not recovered, which precluded a postaccident examination. Thus, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On October 11, 2015, at 1537 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N733VB, was substantially damaged during a ditching in the Atlantic Ocean about 11 nautical miles east of Miami Beach, Florida. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that departed from the North Perry Airport (HWO), Hollywood, Florida, about 1513 and was destined for South Bimini Airport (MYBS), South Bimini, Bahamas. The airplane was owned by Echo 6 Incorporated and privately operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.The pilot reported that while en route to MYBS, at an altitude of about 3,500 ft mean sea level (msl) about 20 miles east of North Miami, he "felt a partial loss of power followed by a complete engine failure". He was unable to restore power, and decided to glide as close to the coastline as possible. He ditched the airplane about 11 miles east of Miami Beach, Florida. The four-seat, high-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane, serial number 17268573, was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by a Lycoming, O-320, 150-horsepower engine. The airplane's most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on October 11, 2015. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 3,473 total hours of operation. The engine had also accumulated 3,473 total hours of operation; of which, 1,585 hours were since its last major overhaul. The airplane had flown about 1 hour since the annual inspection. The airplane's fuel system consisted of two 21.5- gallon fuel tanks, one in each wing, for a total capacity of 43 gallons; of which, 3 gallons were unusable. The pilot reported 30 gallons of fuel onboard at the time of takeoff. The recorded weather at an airport located about 21 miles east of the accident site at an elevation of 29 ft msl, at 1553, included wind variable at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 3,500 ft, temperature 30° C, and dew point 19° C. Review of an FAA Carburetor Icing Chart for the given temperature and dew point revealed that the conditions were outside of the icing envelope. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N733VB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N733VB-2019-02-22), registration cancelled 2019-02-22, S/N 17268573, built 1977 (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: 17268573 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 3473 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 11, 2015, 1 hours before - Departed: HWO, HOLLYWOOD, FL - Destination: MYBS, South Bimini - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 19, 2015; seat: left; flight hours: 205 total, 185 in this make and model, 152 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.85 inHg - Observed at: MIA, 21 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 20151011017079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151011017079A), Oct 11, 2015: Cessna 172N, Miami, FL, Destroyed. At 1913 z aircraft N733VB departed from khwo VFR enroute to zbv. At 1937 z the pilot reported engine power loss and ditched the aircraft about 11NM east of the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92155. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472288&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 29 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472289&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records - Excerpts (item 3, .PDF, 553 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472290&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20-%20Excerpts-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 4, .PDF, 210 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472291&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-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.