History of Flight
On February 28, 2018, about 1930 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172S, registration N615JA, was destroyed when it struck the Atlantic Ocean approximately 2 miles east of Ocean City Municipal Airport (OXB) in Ocean City, Maryland. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries; the passenger was not located and was presumed fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Middle River Aviation and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Martin State Airport (MTN) in Baltimore, Maryland, about 1753.
According to MTN ground control, the pilot requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight following to OXB and departed from runway 15. After takeoff, the pilot contacted the departure controller, reporting a climb through 1,600 ft mean sea level (msl). The controller identified the airplane 3 miles southeast of MTN and instructed the pilot to proceed on course below Class B airspace while maintaining VFR. At 1805, the pilot reported reaching a cruise altitude of 3,500 ft and received the current altimeter setting.
Radar track data showed the airplane approaching OXB from the northwest at about 3,500 ft msl before initiating a slow descent approximately 15 nautical miles (nm) northwest of OXB. The descent continued, and radar service was terminated about 3 nm northwest of OXB at an altitude of 1,350 ft msl.
The airplane was reported missing the following morning, prompting a search. Around 1030, a flight school search flight discovered an oil slick about 2 miles from the approach end of runway 14 at OXB.
On March 1, 2019, the Maryland Natural Resources Police were notified of the missing airplane. A shoreline search identified debris. A bubbling fuel and oil slick was located, and divers subsequently found a wing and the fuselage. The pilot was located within the wreckage. Diving operations for the other victim were unsuccessful due to deteriorating visibility and sea conditions.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, issued on August 24, 2017. He held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first-class medical certificate issued on February 2, 2017. According to the operator, the pilot had accumulated about 81 hours of total flight experience. His logbooks were unavailable, so night flying experience could not be determined. The operator's rental minimums showed the pilot met qualifications to rent the Cessna Skyhawk 172S, and the rental agreement did not specify minimum night flying hours. The dispatch record indicated an estimated departure time of 1351 and return time of 1730.
Aircraft Information
The single-engine airplane was manufactured in 2007, powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine rated at 180 horsepower, with a McCauley 2-bladed propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on January 16, 2018, at a tachometer time of 6,206.9 hours. Maintenance logs showed the last altimeter pitot-static system and transponder test was performed on April 13, 2017, and all applicable Airworthiness Directives had been completed. Fueling records indicated the airplane was last fueled on the accident day with 11.08 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. No open discrepancies were noted in the dispatch record for the accident flight.
Meteorological Information
The 1953 recorded weather at OXB, about 2 miles west of the accident site, included wind from 230° at 10 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and overcast clouds at 10,000 ft above ground level. Temperature was 12°C, dew point 4°C, and the altimeter setting was 29.98 inches of mercury. According to the United States Naval Observatory, sunset occurred at 1752, end of civil twilight at 1819, and moonrise at 1631. The moon was waxing gibbous with 98% of its visible disk illuminated.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in the Atlantic Ocean about 2 miles offshore at a depth of 50 ft. The main wreckage was not recovered. Loose debris collected from the area included the nose gear strut and wheel, main landing gear tire, flight manuals, fire extinguisher, back seat cover, wheel chock, pilot and passenger doors, and a red tag with the airplane's registration number reading "remove before flight." Small fuselage pieces were also found along the shoreline.
Additional Information
According to the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3, Chapter 10), night flying requires heightened attention to preflight preparation and planning. Limited outside visual references necessitate greater reliance on flight instruments. Crossing large bodies of water at night in single-engine airplanes can be hazardous due to potential loss of horizon and orientation. Advisory Circular 60-4A notes that spatial disorientation may occur even when visibility is above VFR minimums, particularly over water at night.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Maryland, determined the pilot's cause of death as drowning. Toxicology tests by the FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and tested-for drugs.