Rockwell International 112TC accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, July 3, 2002
On July 3, 2002 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Rockwell International 112TC, registered N4561W, was destroyed in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper planning/decision and insufficient refueling which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the aircraft being ditched in the ocean.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2002 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International 112TC · all 112TCs on the register
- Registration
- N4561W · registry record · serial 13051
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had 55 gallons of fuel on the airplane, when he departed Spruce Creek Airport. He said he determined the fuel quantity based on the fuel level with respect to the metal tab in the tank, and that he flew the airplane to Daytona Beach International Airport, where he loaded passengers and baggage, and then flew to Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. The pilot further stated that the flight was longer than planned because a waypoint had not been entered in the GPS unit, and he flew past Marsh Harbour, and as a result, when he landed, he refueled in Marsh Harbour, putting 10 gallons of fuel in the fuel tank. According to the pilot, he operated the airplane at about 65 % power with the rpms between 2350 and 2400, the manifold pressure at 32 inches of Hg, and that the winds were minimal for both the flight to, and the flight from Marsh Harbour. He said that about 10 to 12 miles from the shore, while on the return flight from Marsh Harbour the engine ceased operating and he ditched the airplane in the Atlantic Ocean. The owner said that the airplane had 50 gallons of fuel on board when it departed Spruce Creek Airport, and that the pilot's fuel consumption calculations were erroneous, with fuel consumption for the airplane at best economy cruise and best power being about 13.5 gals/hour, and 14.5 gals/hr respectively. The owner further stated that the pilot did not anticipate the additional 23% fuel that he needed to complete the flight. Information obtained from FAA Miami Air Traffic Control showed that at 1434:21, a communications transmission was made to ATC during which the person stated, "We are out of fuel."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 570 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 340 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 257 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,233 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 7, 2002; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming 10360 SER BEF (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYAM Marsh Harbor at 5:10 pm
- Destination: FPR Fort Pierce FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SUA, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.