Incident Overview
On a night when adverse weather delayed her departure, a pilot who held an instrument rating but was not current on instruments departed Key West for a nearby airport at approximately 2118 in visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. Her inability to secure lodging in Key West influenced her decision to fly that evening. She took off and flew over water during the dark night.
Communications and Radar Contact
After takeoff, the pilot established two-way radio communications with Navy Key West Approach Control. The controller attempted multiple times to have the pilot reset her transponder to the assigned discrete code 0210, but the radar facility did not receive the code. The pilot did not make any distress calls during the flight.
Accident and Wreckage Recovery
The aircraft crashed into the Straits of Florida. Some wreckage was located the following day. Several days later, the majority of the wreckage was recovered, except for the left wing. Examination of the recovered wreckage showed no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction of the flight controls, engine, airframe, or attitude gyro. No fire or soot was found on any components.
Transponder and Aircraft Condition
The transponder was found set to the "SBY" (standby) position, in which it does not transmit. No servicing or maintenance was performed on the aircraft while it was at Key West. When the pilot flew into Key West earlier, the aircraft had been radar identified using the transponder. Prior to departing Key West, the pilot spoke with a dispatcher from the operator but did not report any discrepancies with the aircraft.