AN SMA PLT FELL ASLEEP; OVERFLEW HIS DEST ABOUT 600 MI; AND DITCHED IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

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IN SUM: A FLT INSTRUCTOR DROVE HIS CAR ALMOST ALL NIGHT ARRIVING AT 6I2 IN THE EARLY MORNING. HE THEN DID SOME PAPER WORK AND THEN DECIDED TO FLY A PIPER SENECA PA34- 200 TO CSV; NORMALLY A 40 MIN FLT. NEARING CSV; THE PLT FELL ASLEEP AND FLEW ABOUT 600 MI AND 210 MI OUT INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO BEFORE WAKING. WHEN HE AWOKE AND BECAME REORIENTED; HE TURNED N TOWARDS PFN AND CALLED FOR HELP ON 121.5. THE COAST GUARD; USAF AND ANOTHER LIGHT ACFT ANSWERED. THE COAST GUARD DIRECTED THE PLT TOWARDS PIE; THE CLOSEST ARPT. WITHIN ABOUT 1/2 HR; THE PLT RAN OUT OF FUEL. HE THEN FEATHERED THE ENGS AND FOLLOWED THE COAST GUARD LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. A COAST GUARD FALCON WAS OVERHEAD WHEN HE DITCHED; AND IMMEDIATELY DROPPED A 6-MAN RAFT. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO GET TO THE RAFT AS HE CANNOT SWIM. BEFORE EXITING THE ACFT; THE PLT TOOK THE ONLY FLOTATION AVAILABLE TO HIM; 2 FOAM SEAT CUSHIONS. A COAST GUARD HELI DROPPED A RESCUE MAN NEXT TO THE PLT WITHIN ABOUT 20 MINS OF ENTERING THE WATER. THE PLT WAS THEN LIFTED IN A BASKET INTO THE HELI. THE PLT PROMISES TO LEARN TO SWIM. HE ALSO THANKS HIS VERSION OF THE SUPREME BEING.