- Date
- August 26, 1995, 19:33 local (23:33 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N50860Cessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950826025999A
- Case key
- 37821
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 failure of the oil lubrication system for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a 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 stated that the engine began to lose power while over the Ocean about 35 miles east of the destination of west palm beach, Florida. He initiated a glide and prepared for ditching. Just before impact he noted oil on the windshield and cowling. After ditching he exited the airplane, inflated his lifevest, and was rescued shortly thereafter.
Factual narrative
On August 26, 1995, about 1933 eastern daylight time, N50860, a Cessna 172, ditched about 35 miles east of West Palm Beach, Florida, in the Atlantic Ocean while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The airline transport-rated pilot reported no injuries. The airplane sank and has not been recovered and is presumed to be destroyed. The flight originated from Freeport, Bahamas, about 1 hour earlier.
The pilot stated that the engine began to run rough and a partial power loss was experienced. As the pilot was attempting to ditch the airplane he noted oil on the windshield and cowling. He radioed his position and ditched the airplane. He exited the airplane and inflated a survival vest. A commuter airplane observed the ditching and circled overhead until a rescue was completed by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50860
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 74227
- Airframe hours
- 7,056
- Engine
- Lycoming O320-D2J, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Peter T. Tanner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 1995 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- MYGF · Freeport, OF
- Destination
- PBI · West Palm Beach, 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
- 30
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,130 total · 600 in this make and model · 85 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 24 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.