# NTSB IAD02LA003: Cessna 172M, N80562, White Stone, VA, October 4, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 4, 2001, 07:45 local (11:45 UTC) - Place: White Stone, VA - Coordinates: 37.639656, -76.389083 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6397&lon=-76.3891&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 53588 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD02LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53588/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD02LA003 ## Probable cause loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Ditching, emergency landing - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The airplane departed on a fish spotting flight over the Chesapeake Bay with 20 gallons of fuel onboard. About 45-minutes into the flight, the airplane was 5 miles off shore at an altitude of 2,500 feet when the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and could not make it to the shoreline. He ditched the airplane in 50-foot deep water, and was rescued by the crew of a fishing vessel. Due to environmental concerns, the airplane was not recovered. The pilot did not know the cause of the engine failure. ## Factual narrative On October 4, 2001, at 0745 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N80562, was destroyed after it ditched in the Chesapeake Bay about 5 miles east of White Stone, Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the fight that originated at Reedville Airport (VA98), Reedville, Virginia, at 0700. No flight plan was filed for the fish spotting flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he departed with 20 gallons of fuel onboard. About 45-minutes into the flight, at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the engine stopped producing power. In a written statement, he said: "My engine got rough then started to shake, started losing altitude - couldn't make it to land. I told the other spotters my engine was going out and I could not make it to shore, that I was going to put the plane in the water along side the Shearwater. I pulled the plane up at last minute and my tail hit first, then my main gear - the aircraft hit and flipped and sank in less than 15-20 seconds. I came out of plane about 3 or 4 seconds after impact. The Shearwater crew got me out of the water." According to the Commonwealth of Virginia Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported, "that the engine started running rough and started missing, and then lost power and stopped running." The pilot estimated that the airplane landed in 50-foot deep water. Due to environmental concerns, the airplane was not recovered. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the pilot. According to the inspector, the pilot did not know what caused the loss of engine power. Weather at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), Newport News, Virginia, about 34 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, at 0754, was reported as winds from 240 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 7 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 60 degrees F, dewpoint 57 degrees F, and altimeter 30.12 inches HG. The pilot reported a total of 40,000 flight hours, of which 26,000 were in make and model. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N80562](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N80562-2002-05-08), registration cancelled 2002-05-08, S/N 17266653, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17266653 - Airframe hours: 18000 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 3, 2001, 400 hours before - Departed: VA98, REEDVILLE, VA - Destination: CHESAPEAKE BAY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: minor; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 24, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 40,000 total, 26,000 in this make and model, 39,000 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 6 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: PHF, 34 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 20011004028909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011004028909A), Oct 4, 2001: Cessna 172M, Whitestone, VA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was spotting fish while flying over chesapeake bay. The pilot stated that the engine ceased to operate, and he made an emergency landing in the bay… 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.