- Date
- May 21, 1995, 21:30 local (May 22, 1995, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N69786Cessna 310Q
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 38972
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's improper planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and subsequent ditching at sea. Darkness and the high sea condition (rough water) were related factors.
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
According to information from the Portuguese Civil Aviation Administration, the airplane was over the ocean at night, when the pilot reported a lack fuel, and both engines lost power. There was positive radar contact with the airplane until just before it crashed in the ocean about 37 miles west of the Portuguese coast line. The wind was reported to be from 310 degrees at 60 knots, and the sea was rough. The crash site was reported to be west of the Monte Real NDB, which was about 60 miles north of Lisbon, Portugal. Neither the pilot nor the airplane were found, but searchers found safety and location equipment from the airplane. The pilot was presumed to have been fatally injured or to have died.
Factual narrative
On May 21, 1995, at 2130 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310Q, N69786, registered to Air Southwest Florida Corp., of Punta Gorda, Florida, crashed at sea, off the coast of Portugal. The pilot, the sole occupant, was missing and presumed to have received fatal injuries in crash. The airplane has not been located, but searchers found safety and floatation equipment identified to be from N69786. The search has been suspended. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a ferry flight. The flight had departed Gander, New Foundland at an unknown time, with the final destination Vienna, Austria.
According to the Portuguese Civil Aviation Administration (CAA), the pilot reported having no fuel, and both engines had stopped. The position of the crash was 37 NM west of the MTL non- directional beacon (NDB). According to international charts, MTL is the identifier for the Monte Real NDB, located 60 miles north of Lisbon, Portugal.
A fax dated July 6, 1995, from the Director of Portuguese Civil Aviation Administration, "confirmed the loss of N69786." According to the Director's fax:
"N69786 disappeared with the pilot...37 nm west of the Portuguese coast line. The aircraft was under positive radar control until a few seconds before [impact with the] sea. [The] pilot reported both engines quit and he had the sea insight. Apparently no fuel on board...."
The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 310 degrees at 60 knots, and the seas were rough.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N69786
- Reported as
- Cessna 310Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 310Q0978
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-VO, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Air Southwest Florida Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Gander,Nwfndlnd, OF
- Destination
- Vienna,Austria, OF
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 21
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 825 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 310° at 60 knots