Piper PA-31 accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO, July 10, 1993
On July 10, 1993 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N36L, was destroyed in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, AO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FROM BOTH ENGINES DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER THE PILOT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DELAY BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO EXECUTE THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY RESETTING THE ALTERNATORS AND VOLTAGE REGULATORS FOLLOWING TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1993 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Atlantic Ocean, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N36L · no longer on the register · serial 31-10
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WITH 1/2 FULL FUEL TANKS AND KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED AND ABOUT 44 MINUTES LATER, GRAND TURK APPROACH CONTROL WAS CONTACTED USING A HAND HELD RADIO AND CLEARANCE TO LAND AT THE GRAND TURK AIRPORT WAS REQUESTED. THE CONTROLLER WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LOW ON FUEL. THE CREW WAS ADVISED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS ABOUT 60 MILES EAST OF THE GRAND TURK AIRPORT AND THAT THE PROVIDENCIALES AIRPORT WAS 31 MILES NORTH OF THEIR POSITION. THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED DIRECT TO THE PROVIDENCIALES AIRPORT BUT A SHORT TIME LATER, THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS DITCHED AND THE OCCUPANTS WERE RESCUED. THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT RESET THE ALTERNATORS AND VOLTAGE REGULATORS AFTER CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE APPROACH CONTROL FACILITY.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,027 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,011 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Schaked CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: MTCH Cap Haitien OF at 1:00 pm
- Destination: MYIG Great Inagua I. OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:15 pm
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.