Cessna M337B (O-2A) accident near Fernandina Bch, FL
On January 26, 2003, a Cessna M337B (O-2A) (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fernandina Bch, FL. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 26, 2003
- Place
- Fernandina Bch, FL
- Aircraft
- Cessna M337B (O-2A) · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 30.614°N, 81.281°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030205X00163
Official records · MIA03FA046
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 26, 2003, about 1520 eastern standard time, a Cessna M337B-O2A, N52513, operated by Environmental Aviation Services, Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 other work use flight, impacted with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean about 7 miles east of Fernandina Beach, Florida. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial rated-pilot and three passengers received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport about 1430. The flight was a whale survey flight conducted on behalf of Wildlife Trust, a non-profit environmental organization. The mission was reported to be originally funded by NOAA, subsequently subcontracted to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR), who then subcontracted to Wildlife Trust. Wildlife Trust assigned contract scientist observers to the flight and contracted with Environmental Aviation Services for the airplane. The accident flight was the second survey flight of the day for the pilot and the three Wildlife Trust employees on board. The first flight originated from Fernandina Beach about 0930 and returned there about 1330. The airplane's main and auxiliary fuel tanks were filled before its departure on the second flight. After takeoff, the airplane proceeded eastbound out over the Atlantic Ocean, climbed to an altitude of 1,000 feet agl, and began to fly a series of east-west track lines spaced 1.5 nautical miles apart. According to the survey protocol, when a right whale was spotted, the airplane was to bre
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with the ocean.
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Browse: Florida · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
