N8785B
CESSNA 172
DURING AN OVERWATER FLIGHT, ABOUT 20 MI SOUTHEAST OF MAYAGUANA ISLAND, THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO PSI. THE PLT TRANSMITTED A DISTRESS MESSAGE (MAYDAY), WHICH WAS FORWARDED TO THE COAST GUARD, & CONTINUED TOWARD THE ISLAND. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENG SEIZED & THE ACFT WAS DITCHED APPROXIMATELY 15 MI FROM SHORE. THE PLT & HIS PASSENGER EGRESSED FROM THE ACFT AS IT SANK & INFLATED THEIR LIFE JACKETS. THEY SAW SEVERAL COAST GUARD ACFT FLY OVER THEIR POSITION & THEY TRIED TO SIGNAL FOR HELP, BUT THEY WERE NOT SIGHTED. THEY SWAM TOWARD THE SHORE, BUT THE PASSENGER DIED BEFORE REACHING IT. AFTER REACHING THE BEACH THE NEXT DAY, THE PLT SAW FISHERMEN & WAS RESCUED. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN.
THE ENGINE SEIZED FROM OIL STARVATION (LACK OF OIL OR OIL PRESSURE), WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING DITCHED AT SEA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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