Piper PA-28-161 N47852

Summary

On 31 May 1996 at about 07:29 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N47852, operated by David P. Novak, was involved in an accident near Seattle, Washington, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 May 1996 at 07:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Seattle, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.6093, -122.3302

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N47852

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

David P. Novak

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Everett → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

SEA96LA120

Nobody was injured.

An intentional plan or decision by the pilot to ditch the airplane in Puget Sound.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

At 0027, the pilot reported to Boeing Field Tower that he was 10 miles northwest of the airport, and he requested a stop-and-go landing. At 0028, the pilot told the tower he had lost engine power over Elliott Bay and was attempting a restart. Radio and radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 0029 when it was over Puget Sound about 1/2 mile north-northeast of Alki Point. A U.S. Coast Guard search did not locate the aircraft, although an oil slick was found on the water in the vicinity of the last radar position. The pilot turned himself in to authorities 3-1/2 weeks after the disappearance and was charged with mail fraud (for false insurance claims he made for his flying club) as well as making a false distress signal (in connection with this disappearance.) In a plea agreement, the pilot pleaded guilty to both charges. The aircraft was not recovered, nor was its location verified.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.