What happened
The aircraft was forced to make an emergency water landing in the Gulf of Mexico shortly before running out of fuel. According to the pilot's account, the flight originated from an airport near Great Inagua in the Bahamas under visual meteorological conditions. During the journey, the pilot reported experiencing a malfunction with the aircraft's compass system.
Fearing that the navigation issues would lead to fuel exhaustion, the pilot attempted to signal for help by making two passes around a nearby freighter. The decision was made to ditch the aircraft across the bow of the vessel. Although the aircraft sank immediately upon impact with the water, both occupants on board were successfully rescued.
The investigation
Subsequent reporting from U.S. Customs in Miami provided a detailed reconstruction of the flight path that had not been available at the time of the initial incident report. Authorities spotted the aircraft flying approximately 100 feet above the water near Cuba. They tracked its movement to Great Inagua Island and then to a point south of Andros Island in the Bahamas.
The flight continued to Marathon and Key West before proceeding out over the Gulf of Mexico to the ditching site. The investigation revealed that the initial departure point, final destination, and purpose of the flight were not determined. Additionally, while the registered owner stated he had recently sold the aircraft, the identity of the new owner could not be established.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the incident included the compass malfunction which likely disoriented the pilot, leading to excessive fuel consumption. The ultimate cause was fuel exhaustion. The lack of clarity regarding the flight's origin and destination complicated the assessment of whether the fuel load was sufficient for the intended route.