Accident
On March 1, 2008, at 1515 eastern standard time, a Diamond DA20, registration N859MS, was presumed to be substantially damaged following a ditching in the Atlantic Ocean near Key West, Florida. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Florida Keys Marathon Airport (MTH) at 1500 and was destined for Key West International Airport (EYW).
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, after departure he climbed to 8,000 feet and practiced steep turns. While en route to EYW for touch-and-go landings, he reduced power to idle and initiated a descent. When the airplane reached traffic pattern altitude (850 feet), he leveled off and advanced the throttle, but the engine did not respond. The propeller continued turning momentarily and then stopped completely. The pilot completed the emergency checklist but could not restart the engine. He reported a "mayday" to air traffic control, providing his position approximately 6 miles south of the Big Pine Key shoreline.
The pilot performed a forced landing on the water. After the airplane came to rest, he opened the canopy and inflated a life raft he had onboard. He entered the raft and watched the airplane float for about 5 minutes before it sank. Approximately 90 minutes later, a fisherman picked up the pilot and brought him to shore.
Aircraft Information
The pilot purchased the airplane new in April 2006. The airplane and engine logbooks were on board at the time of the accident. The next annual inspection was due in May 2008, and no recent maintenance had been performed. The pilot reported last flying the airplane 2 to 3 weeks prior to the accident. He estimated fuel was "just under full" (approximately 20 gallons) before departure. According to fuel records from the Fixed Base Operator (FBO) where the airplane was based, the airplane was last refueled on February 6, 2008, with 13.8 gallons of fuel. As of the report date, there were no plans to recover the airplane from the Atlantic Ocean.