N9321H
CESSNA 172M
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 200 YARDS OFF THE NORTHWEST SHORE OF ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE IN STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLIGHT WITH THE ENG RUNNING UNTIL IT SUDDENLY PITCHED STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE OCEAN. THEY ALSO REPORTED THAT THE WX ALONG THE NORTHWEST COAST AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT CONSISTED OF RAIN, THUNDER, LIGHTNING & HIGH WIND. THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM THE ST. CROIX TWR APRX 7 MINS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF DURING WHICH HE WAS ADVISED OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTHWEST THRU NORTHEAST OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO 135 FT OF WATER & THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS SHOWED THE PLT'S BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.093% & THE PASSENGER'S WAS 0.081%.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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