Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182P near Atlantic Ocean, AO — 2012-03-01

Final reportERA12FAMS1
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Date
2012-03-01
Location
Atlantic Ocean, AO, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 182P
Registration
N1338S
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1

Probable cause

Undetermined; the airplane and pilot are missing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot departed with about 25 to 30 gallons of fuel on-board and proceeded to fly over the Atlantic Ocean. About 23 minutes after takeoff, while operating in visual flight rules conditions, the airplane was lost from radar about 34 nautical miles east-southeast of the departure airport. The pilot’s body and the airplane wreckage have not been located. The airplane’s maintenance records were reportedly in the airplane; as a result, information concerning the last annual inspection was not available. The airplane’s owner reported that the airplane “performed flawlessly” when he and another pilot flew it 2 days before the event flight. Multiple medications that had been prescribed for the pilot for the treatment of various conditions, including depression and anxiety, blood pressure, angina, high cholesterol, insomnia, and seizures were found during the subsequent investigation. The investigation considered the possibilities of 1) pilot impairment/incapacitation and 2) suicide; however, the lack of physical evidence (the airplane and pilot remain missing) made such a determination impossible.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot's mental health issues and medication use could have been addressed before flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 14 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents14

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