Pezetel 106A YV618
13 November 1994 · Gulf of Mexico · Fatal
Summary
On 13 November 1994 at about 00:50 local time, a Pezetel 106A registered YV618 was involved in an accident near Gulf of Mexico. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Gulf of Mexico
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Pezetel 106A
- Registration
- YV618
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Ferry
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Americus → Opa Locka
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Dusk
- NTSB number
- FTW95LA044
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT BECAME LOST OR DISORIENTED, ALLOWING THE AIRPLANE TO GET OFF-COURSE/OVER WATER; AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CLOUDS AND HIGH WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PREVAILING TROPICAL STORM, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITION, THE LACK OF RADIO OR NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT, AND THE POOR LIGHT CONDITIONS (DUSK) AND LARGE WAVES/SWELLS IN THE FORCED LANDING (DITCHING) AREA.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE POLISH BUILT AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FERRY KIT THAT EXTENDED ITS FUEL RANGE TO 10 HOURS. IT WAS BEING TRANSPORTED TO CARACAS, VENEZUELA. THE PILOT DEPARTED AMERICUS, GEORGIA AT ABOUT 1100 CST WITHOUT FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. THERE WAS NO RECORD THAT HE HAD OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING. THE FIRST LEG OF A FERRY FLIGHT WAS PLANNED TO OPA LOCKA, FLORIDA FOR AN OVERNIGHT STOP. HOWEVER, AT DUSK, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN OFF COURSE, OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, ABOUT 350 MILES SOUTH OF MOBILE, ALABAMA. AT THAT LOCATION, PERSONNEL OF A LIBERIAN FREIGHTER OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING THE SHIP FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES WITH AN INTERMITTENT ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WAS DITCHED IN 8 TO 10 FOOT SEAS. PERSONNEL OF THE VESSEL WERE NOT ABLE TO RESCUE THE PILOT. A TROPICAL STORM WITH HIGH WINDS WAS CENTERED OVER KEY WEST, FL. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY COMMUNICATION OR NAVIGATION RADIOS. THE PILOT HAD NO PERSONAL FLOATATION EQUIPMENT. HIS BODY AND SOME OF THE WRECKAGE WERE RECOVERED THE NEXT DAY BY COAST GUARD PERSONNEL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.