Piper PA-32-301 N8224H

Summary

On 22 January 2021 at about 21:15 local time, a Piper PA-32-301 registered N8224H was involved in an accident near Homestead, Florida, United States. 4 people were 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

22 January 2021 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Homestead, Florida, United States

Coordinates

25.1308, -81.0356

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-301

Registration

N8224H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Myers → Marathon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA123

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of power for reasons that could not be determined, as the airplane was not recovered from the water following the ditching.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, flight instructor, and two passengers departed with full fuel tanks on a short cross-country flight, partially over water. About 40 minutes into the flight, while cruising at an altitude of 5,500 ft mean sea level, the engine began to lose power. The flight instructor turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and switched fuel tanks but was unable to restore engine power. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control and ditched the airplane into the water about 1/2-mile from shore. The airplane was not recovered from the water following the accident and was presumed substantially damaged. Given that the wreckage was not recovered from the water, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.