No fatalities

Engine Failure Leads to Ditching Off West Palm Beach (N80BW)

West Palm Beach, United States of AmericaFlight

On December 16, 1977, a Cessna 401 (registration N80BW) operated by E. L. Jarman was involved in an aviation accident near West Palm Beach, United States of America in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Engine failure in normal cruise due to inadequate preflight preparation. Contributing factors: lack of familiarity with aircraft, mismanagement of fuel, fuel exhaustion, aircraft came to rest in water, forced landing off airport on water. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft experienced engine failure in cruise off Florida's east coast. The pilot ditched near West Palm Beach and sustained serious injuries; the aircraft was lost.

Incident Overview

While cruising along the east coast of Florida, one of the aircraft's engines failed. The pilot responded by reducing altitude and performing a ditching maneuver off the coast of West Palm Beach. The pilot was seriously injured, and the aircraft was lost.

Probable Cause and Contributing Factors

The official investigation determined the probable cause to be engine failure in normal cruise due to inadequate preflight preparation. Contributing factors included the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft, mismanagement of fuel, and fuel exhaustion. Additionally, the aircraft came to rest in water, and a forced landing was conducted off airport on water.