What happened
During a flight along the eastern coastline of Florida, an engine failure occurred while the aircraft was at cruising altitude. Following the loss of power, the pilot initiated a descent to a lower altitude. The flight ended when the pilot performed a ditching maneuver in the waters located off West Palm Beach.
As a result of the impact with the water, the pilot sustained serious injuries. The aircraft itself was not recovered following the accident.
Findings
The investigation into the incident identified several critical factors that led to the loss of power and subsequent crash. The primary cause was determined to be an engine failure during the cruise phase, which stemmed from insufficient preflight checks and preparation.
Additional contributing elements included:
- A lack of familiarity with the specific aircraft being operated
- Errors in fuel management
- The occurrence of fuel exhaustion
- The necessity of a forced landing on the water