Piper PA32 N1563X

Summary

On 28 February 2019 at about 18:52 local time, a Piper PA32 registered N1563X was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 February 2019 at 18:52

Classification

Accident

Location

West Palm Beach, United States

Coordinates

26.6594, -79.6881

Aircraft

Piper PA32

Registration

N1563X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Pierce → Bullocks Harbou

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19TA111

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a ditched landing in the ocean.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on the personal flight after topping off the airplane's fuel tanks. He reported that, about 15 minutes after leveling off at 3,500 ft mean sea level, he initiated a climb to 7,500 ft, and the engine immediately started to "sputter"; the airplane was about 20 miles off the coast of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean. He turned on the fuel boost pump, switched fuel tanks, and applied carburetor heat, to no avail. The engine lost total power shortly thereafter. The pilot subsequently ditched the airplane into the ocean, egressed, and was rescued. The airplane was not recovered, which precluded a postaccident examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.