Cessna 180 accident near Bimini, Bf, June 22, 1988
On June 22, 1988 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3634C, was destroyed in an accident near Bimini. 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
Low engine oil pressure and subsequent engine seizure for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1988 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bimini, Burkina Faso
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3634C · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 22, 1988, approximately 1500 EDT, a Cessna 180, N3634C, registered to Ferro Aviation Maintenance Company, Inc., ditched following a loss of power in the ocean near Bimini, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed for the Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was destroyed and the two occupants were not injured. The flight originated from Bimini and was enroute to Miami, Florida. The pilot reported that he noticed a loss of oil pressure prior to the engine seizing. After ditching, the occupants were rescued by a fishing vessel. No additional information is available.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Ferro Aviation Maint. CO., INC
The flight
- Departed from: 2BV
- Destination: OPF Miami FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 pm from TMB
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.