Cessna 172 N8785B

Summary

On 7 December 1989 at about 17:48 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N8785B was involved in an accident near Atlantic Ocean. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 December 1989 at 17:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Atlantic Ocean

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N8785B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Turk → Georgetown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA90LA037

1 person died.

THE ENGINE SEIZED FROM OIL STARVATION (LACK OF OIL OR OIL PRESSURE), WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING DITCHED AT SEA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING AN OVERWATER FLIGHT, ABOUT 20 MI SOUTHEAST OF MAYAGUANA ISLAND, THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO PSI. THE PLT TRANSMITTED A DISTRESS MESSAGE (MAYDAY), WHICH WAS FORWARDED TO THE COAST GUARD, & CONTINUED TOWARD THE ISLAND. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENG SEIZED & THE ACFT WAS DITCHED APPROXIMATELY 15 MI FROM SHORE. THE PLT & HIS PASSENGER EGRESSED FROM THE ACFT AS IT SANK & INFLATED THEIR LIFE JACKETS. THEY SAW SEVERAL COAST GUARD ACFT FLY OVER THEIR POSITION & THEY TRIED TO SIGNAL FOR HELP, BUT THEY WERE NOT SIGHTED. THEY SWAM TOWARD THE SHORE, BUT THE PASSENGER DIED BEFORE REACHING IT. AFTER REACHING THE BEACH THE NEXT DAY, THE PLT SAW FISHERMEN & WAS RESCUED. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.