Norfolk - Norfolk

The pilot, sole on board, departed Norfolk in the morning on a local pleasure flight. While flying over the ocean, he elected to transfer fuel from the right tank to the left tank when both engines failed simultaneously. Unable to restart them, he attempt to ditch the aircraft few miles off West Falmouth. The aircraft sank and was lost while the pilot was uninjured.

Flight / Schedule

Norfolk - Norfolk

Aircraft

Beechcraft C18S

Registration

N44565

MSN

6859

Year of Manufacture

1944

Operator

Robert Wilmarth

Date

July 30, 1973 at 11:00 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Private

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

West Falmouth Massachusetts

Region

North America • United States of America

Coordinates

41.6042°, -70.6348°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On July 30, 1973 at 11:00 AM, Norfolk - Norfolk experienced a crash involving Beechcraft C18S, operated by Robert Wilmarth, with the event recorded near West Falmouth Massachusetts.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot, sole on board, departed Norfolk in the morning on a local pleasure flight. While flying over the ocean, he elected to transfer fuel from the right tank to the left tank when both engines failed simultaneously. Unable to restart them, he attempt to ditch the aircraft few miles off West Falmouth. The aircraft sank and was lost while the pilot was uninjured.

Aircraft reference details include registration N44565, MSN 6859, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 41.6042°, -70.6348°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The pilot, sole on board, departed Norfolk in the morning on a local pleasure flight. While flying over the ocean, he elected to transfer fuel from the right tank to the left tank when both engines failed simultaneously. Unable to restart them, he attempt to ditch the aircraft few miles off West Falmouth. The aircraft sank and was lost while the pilot was uninjured.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

1

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 1

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Norfolk - Norfolk

Operator

Robert Wilmarth

Flight Type

Private

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

North America • United States of America

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Beechcraft C18S

Registration

N44565

MSN

6859

Year of Manufacture

1944

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