ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 44405
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| Date: | Saturday 30 July 2005 |
| Time: | 21:20 |
| Type: |  Cessna 172S |
| Owner/operator: | Epic Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N65982 |
| MSN: | 172S9766 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 496 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Key West, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Key West, FL (KEYW) |
| Marathon, FL (KMTH) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Adverse weather delayed the instrument rated but not instrument current pilot's departure to her home airport. Additionally, lodging accommodations in Key West could not be obtained. The pilot elected to depart in night visual flight rules (VFR) conditions for a nearby airport at approximately 2118. After takeoff, while flying over water during the dark night, the pilot established two-way radio communications with Navy Key West Approach Control. The radar facility did not receive the assigned discrete transponder code (0210), despite several attempts by the controller to get the pilot to reset the transponder. The pilot did not make any distress calls. The aircraft crashed into the Straits of Florida, and some of the wreckage was located the following day. Several days later the majority of the wreckage was located; the left wing was not recovered. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction of the flight controls, engine, airframe, and attitude gyro. No evidence of fire or sort was noted on any of the recovered components. The transponder was found set to "SBY" or standby position; the transponder does not transmit in that position. No servicing or maintenance was performed to the airplane while at Key West. During the inbound flight into Key West, the flight was radar identified using the transponder. Prior to departure, the pilot talked with a dispatcher from the operator and did not advise that person of any discrepancy related to the airplane.
Probable Cause: The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain directional control of the airplane during the dark, night flight over water, resulting in the uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with the water. A contributing factor in the accident was the pilot's distraction with the inappropriately set transponder.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20050805X01171&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 06-Dec-2017 10:42 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
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