PASS-A-GRILLE, FL, USA
N99901
CESSNA 172P
THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO DEMONSTRATE FLT CHARACTERISTICS TO CAP CADETS. DRG AN OFF-SHORE FLT OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE ACFT ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED APRX 3 MI FROM LAND. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE ACFT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, RPRTD THAT IT WAS SPINNING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ACFT SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN 28 FT OF WATER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. A CHECK OF THE WEIGHT & BALANCE INFO SHOWED THE ACFT HAD BEEN LOADED APRX 114 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT JUST BEFORE THE LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT, THE PLT HAD MADE TWO RAPID 180 DEG TURNS.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A STALL/SPIN. EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF AVAILABLE ALTITUDE FOR SPIN RECOVERY WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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