# NTSB ERA22LA375: Cessna 172, N6713A, Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean), August 18, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 18, 2022, 10:15, time zone not recorded
- Place: Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean) · Atlantic Ocean
- Coordinates: 26.741944, -79.811944 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7419&lon=-79.8119&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105768
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA375
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105768/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105768
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA375

## Probable cause

The pilot's suicide.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Intentional act: suicide](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2072402), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, they received a notification of a downed aircraft 15 nautical miles east from Pompano Beach, Florida. They responded to the location and confirmed, debris of an airplane and a deceased occupant. The Coast Guard then received a call from the wife of the pilot regarding a note that she received expressing possible suicidal intentions. She described her spouse and the airplane, which matched the recovered debris and the occupant. The wreckage of the airplane was not otherwise recovered, and the airplane was presumed destroyed. A review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) flight track data showed that the airplane departed from Pompano Beach Airpark, Pompano Beach, Florida, before flying northwest for about 10 nautical miles. The airplane then began circling before heading west towards the Atlantic Ocean. While over the ocean, the airplane made a turn to the north before radar/ADS-B contact was lost. Following a death investigation, the Office of Medical Examiner, Palm Beach County classified the manner of death as a suicide.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6713A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6713A-2023-04-07), registration cancelled 2023-04-07, S/N 28813, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Registry model: [Cessna 172](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (registry code 2072402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28813
- Year built: 1956
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: JD Schools LLC.
- Registered owner: JD Schools LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PMP, Pompano, FL
- Airport: PMP, Pompano Beach Airpark
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: fatal; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; restraint: 3-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 13,800 total, 525 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observed at: KPBI, 16 nm away
- METAR: METAR KPBI 181453Z 25008KT 10SM SCT032 SCT250 31/23 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP153 T03110233 51009

## 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 20220818023189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220818023189A), Aug 18, 2022: Cessna 172, Pompano Beach, FL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. A/c departed pmp (Pompano Beach air park) headed NE bound then proceeded east bound towards ocean. Aircraft (approx 14 miles off of FL coast) at approx. 4300…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 11, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105768. 1.1 MB in all.

- Coast guard case report (item 1, PDF, 17 pages, 639 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15388068&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ACFT%20N6713A_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - autopsy report review (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 169 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15388184&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Autopsy%20MFR%20LA375-Rel.pdf
- Toxicological report (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 156 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14909402&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Plot of airplane's adsb flight track (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 158 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14918217&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Path%20N6713A-Rel.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.