- Date
- January 4, 2014, 12:52 local (20:52 UTC)
- Place
- Avalon, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N114DEPrizio Texas Sprt CUB TX11J
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20140104000249A
- Case key
- 88626
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
A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that, about 30 minutes into the flight, he was over the water about 15 miles to the nearest land, when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made several attempts to restart the engine, each of which was unsuccessful; he subsequently initiated an emergency descent. The pilot circled a private vessel during the descent and ditched in the water nearby. He and his passenger exited the airplane before it sank and they were picked up by the vessel. The airplane was not recovered.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that, about 30 minutes into the flight, he was over the water about 15 miles to the nearest land, when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made several attempts to restart the engine, each of which was unsuccessful; he subsequently initiated an emergency descent. The pilot circled a private vessel during the descent and ditched in the water nearby. He and his passenger exited the airplane before it sank and they were picked up by the vessel. The airplane was not recovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N114DE
- Reported as
- Prizio Texas Sprt CUB TX11J (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- TX1004
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 221
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Prizio David P
- Registered owner
- Prizio David P
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 1, 2013 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- CNO · Chino, CA
- Destination
- AVX · Avalon, CA
- Airport
- AVX · Catalina
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,693 total · 286 in this make and model · 1,589 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KAVX, 7 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.