- Date
- January 23, 1992, 00:01 local (05:01 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N8300XPiper PA-32-301
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920123001049A
- Case key
- 33056
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Undetermined. The airplane crashed in the Atlantic Ocean and was not located.
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
The non instrument rated private pilot and two passengers departed on a VFR flight from fort lauderdale, Florida, to stella maris, Bahamas. A VFR flight plan was filed but not activated. VFR flight was not recommended by miami flight service station due to weather. The pilot departed the airport when the weather conditions permitted VFR flight. The pilot declined flight following in the outer arsa, and was informed that his transponder was not being picked up on climb out. Radar service was terminated six minutes after takeoff. There were no other known radio communications with the pilot. A body was located in the Atlantic Ocean two days later by a fishing boat. The coast guard was dispatched to the scene and two other bodies, two blue tote bags, a wallet, and a light brown airplane seat cushion was located in the general location of the first body. All remains were identified by the medical examiner. Aircraft delivery documents indicate buckskin seats were installed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8300X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-8106030
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Otfried H. Gaida
- Registered owner
- Otfried H. Gaida
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- FLL · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Destination
- MYLS · Stella Maris, OF
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 865 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FLL, 1 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.