- Date
- July 4, 1984, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- St. Croix
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9321HCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840704029939A
- Case key
- 31003
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after takeoff, the acft crashed aprx 200 yards off the northwest shore of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin islands. Witnesses stated the acft appeared to be in straight & level flight with the eng running until it suddenly pitched straight down into the ocean. They also reported that the wx along the northwest coast at the time of the accident consisted of rain, thunder, lightning & high wind. The plt received a wx briefing from the St. Croix twr aprx 7 mins prior to takeoff during which he was advised of thunderstorms northwest thru northeast of the arpt. The acft crashed into 135 ft of water & the wreckage was not recovered. Toxicological tests showed the plt's blood/alcohol level was 0.093% & the passenger's was 0.081%.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9321H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172666086
- Airframe hours
- 1,267
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- L.E.G. Enterprises
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 5, 1984 · 90 hours before
- Departed
- MISX · St. Croix
- Destination
- MIST
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 800 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 20° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MISX, 11 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.