Cessna U206B N3800G

Summary

On 14 August 2004 at about 18:51 local time, a Cessna U206B registered N3800G was involved in an accident near Key West, Florida, United States. 5 people were on board and one died, 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 August 2004 at 18:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Key West, Florida, United States

Coordinates

24.6217, -82.8839

Aircraft

Cessna U206B

Registration

N3800G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marathon → Key West

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA04FA119

1 person died.

A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during cruise flight, which resulted in the pilot ditching the airplane in ocean waters.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was flying passengers and a cameraman associated with a film production to film a fort on an island. During the filming, the pilot stated he switched fuel tanks, and noted that the left tank was full, and the right tank about 3/4 full. As the airplane approached the fort, the engine sputtered, and then regained full power. A minute or two later, the pilot indicated the engine lost all power, and after unsuccessfully trying to restart it, he ditched the airplane. The pilot and passengers were all able to exit the airplane except the cameraman, who tied himself to the seat with a rope prior to takeoff after the cargo door had been removed to facilitate filming. Attempts to free the cameraman prior to the airplane sinking were unsuccessful, and he drowned. A passenger noted that the right fuel tank fuel gauge was somewhere around the 1/4 mark, and bouncing as the airplane flew. Postaccident inspection of the airplane, recovered 17 days later from ocean waters, disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.