- Date
- February 7, 1993, 16:38 local (21:38 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5044YPiper PA-23-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 10, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930207001839A
- Case key
- 33225
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
The pilot-in-command's overconfidence in his own abilities and the subsequent failure of both engines due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing factors were the failure of the pilot to perform in-flight fuel consumption calculations, and the unsuitable terrain for the ensuing forced landing.
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 pilot requested and was issued a ferry permit from the FAA for the flight from san juan, puerto rico, to fort lauderdale. He conveyed his confidence to a friend that he could accomplish the flight without a refueling stop. About 6 hours 38 minutes later he reported both engines had failed and he was ditching. The airplane and the pilot were not recovered. The injury and damage classifications are presumed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5044Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 272052
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Caribbean Commodities
- Registered owner
- Caribbean Commodities
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- TSJU · San Juan, PR
- Destination
- KHWO · Hollywood, FL
- 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FLL, 8 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.
Other investigations on N5044Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.