Piper PA-32-260 accident near Gulf Of Mexico, July 8, 1994
On July 8, 1994 at about 2:16 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3610W, was destroyed in an accident near Gulf Of Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE PASSENGER BRIEFING BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1994 · about 2:16 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3610W · registry record · serial 32-510
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE OVER WATER ABOUT 14 MILES NORTH OF THE DESTINATION, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FAILED TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER. BEFORE DITCHING, THE PILOT ADVISED ATC OF HIS POSITION, AND RADAR RETURN AT 100 FEET WAS MARKED ON THE CONTROLLER'S RADAR SCOPE. THE AIRPLANE WAS DITCHED AT SEA, AND THE 4 OCCUPANTS EGRESSED FROM THE SINKING PLANE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 3 LIFE PRESERVERS WERE ABOARD THE PLANE, BUT THEY WERE NOT RECOVERED BEFORE THE PLANE SANK (HE HAD NOT BRIEFED THE PASSENGERS ABOUT THE LIFE PRESERVERS BEFORE FLIGHT). ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER DITCHING, A COAST GUARD AIRPLANE (WHICH WAS ON A TRAINING MISSION IN THE VICINITY, BUT WAS NOT DROP EQUIPPED) FLEW OVER AND FOUND THE 4 SURVIVORS. A RESCUE BOAT AND HELICOPTER WERE DISPATCHED TO THE AREA, BUT ONE OF THE SURVIVORS DROWNED BEFORE HELP ARRIVED. THE DITCHED AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,550 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command; 250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 94FL Fort Myers FL at 1:15 pm
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 pm from EYW, 11 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.