Cessna 172P accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, November 17, 1990
On November 17, 1990 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N51101, was destroyed in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DELAY OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE AND, AS A RESULT, HE DITCHED THE AIRPLANE NEAR A BOAT DUE TO A LOW FUEL SUPPLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 1990 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N51101 · registry record · serial 17274267
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BECAME LOST. HE CIRCLED A SHIP & DUE TO A LOW FUEL SUPPLY, DITCHED THE ACFT. THE PLT & ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT RECOVERED. TWO PASSENGERS WERE RESCUED BY THE SHIP. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE PLT NEVER INFORMED THEM THAT HE WAS LOST BUT HE WAS HAVING COMPASS PROBLEMS & WAS FRANTICALLY LOOKING AT CHARTS. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH TWO VOR RECEIVERS & ONE ADF. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS LISTED FOR THE VOR OR NDB NAVIGATIONAL AIDS AT THE DESTINATION ARPT. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FOUR MAN LIFE RAFT & FOUR LIFE VESTS BUT ONE OF THE PASSENGERS INFLATED THE LIFE RAFT BEFORE DITCHING. HE PUNCTURED IT TO REGAIN SPACE. THE LIFE VESTS WERE NOT LOCATED BY THE OCCUPANTS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 163 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1990; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O 320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUPJ Beef Island OF at 5:45 pm
- Destination: TNCM St. Maarten OF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from STT, 265 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.