Homestead - Homestead

The aircraft departed Homestead, Florida, on a test flight. While flying over the Gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported severe electrical storm. He became lost and disoriented so he decided to ditch the airplane about 375 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The aircraft sank and was lost while both occupants were rescued.

Flight / Schedule

Homestead - Homestead

Registration

N4385

MSN

560-1213-47

Year of Manufacture

1962

Date

January 23, 1981 at 01:45 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Test

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Gulf of Mexico All World

Region

World • World

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On January 23, 1981 at 01:45 PM, Homestead - Homestead experienced a crash involving Rockwell Aero Commander 560, operated by Private American, with the event recorded near Gulf of Mexico All World.

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

2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 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: 1, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft departed Homestead, Florida, on a test flight. While flying over the Gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported severe electrical storm. He became lost and disoriented so he decided to ditch the airplane about 375 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The aircraft sank and was lost while both occupants were rescued.

Aircraft reference details include registration N4385, MSN 560-1213-47, year of manufacture 1962.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The aircraft departed Homestead, Florida, on a test flight. While flying over the Gulf of Mexico, the pilot reported severe electrical storm. He became lost and disoriented so he decided to ditch the airplane about 375 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The aircraft sank and was lost while both occupants were rescued.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

1

Estimated Survivors

2

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 2

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Homestead - Homestead

Flight Type

Test

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

World • World

Aircraft Details

Registration

N4385

MSN

560-1213-47

Year of Manufacture

1962

Similar Plane Crashes

April 27, 1920 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

Compagnie Générale Transaérienne - CGT

Nieuport-Delage NiD-30

The pilot, sole on board, departed Paris-Le Bourget on a mail flight to Hounslow Heath, London. While cruising over The Channel, he encountered thick fog when the airplane crashed in the sea in unknown circumstances. The pilot was killed.

April 24, 1924 at 02:00 PM3 Fatalities

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij

Fokker F3

The aircraft departed Croydon Airport at 1043LT on a regular schedule service to Amsterdam with an intermediate stop in Rotterdam, carrying two passengers and one pilot. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and diverted to Lympne Airport, Kent. After several repairs were made, he continued the flight with an unserviceable radio. While cruising over the North Sea (between The Channel and the North Sea), the pilot encountered foggy conditions when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Rotterdam, SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found. Crew: Adriaan Pijl, pilot. Passengers: Mr. W. J. van Hien, Mr. C. Modderman.

August 21, 1924 at 12:00 AM

Regia Aeronautica

Dornier Do J Wal

The crew departed Pisa, Italy, last 25 July to perform a transatlantic flight to Canada on behalf of the 'Commissariato Aeronautica', the ancient name of the Italian Air Force. The seaplane made stops in Saint-Raphaël, south of France, Lausanne (quai of Ouchy on Lake of Geneva), Strasbourg, Rotterdam, Hull, Stromness (Orkneys Islands), Feroe Islands and Reykjavik. While flying over the Sea of Labrador, some 180 km south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing. The twin engine seaplane landed safely and the crew sent several mayday message. All five occupants were later rescued and evacuated by the crew of 'USS Richmond' which deviated from his route to the accident site. In a rough sea, the seaplane sank later and was lost and not recovered. Crew: Lt Antonio Locatelli, pilot, Lt Crosio, Lt Marescalchi, Mr. Braccini, flight engineer, Mr. Falcinelli, flight engineer.

February 9, 1925 at 12:00 AM

Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques - CGEA

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-13

En route from Oran to Alicante, the crew was forced to make an emergency landing following an engine failure. The crew was rescued few hours later and the aircraft sank and was lost.

March 14, 1925 at 12:00 AM

Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques - CGEA

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-13

En route from Alicante to Oran, a structural failure occurred on the buckle, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. The aircraft sank and both crew members (who were slightly injured) were rescued by the crew of the British boat named 'Egyptian'. Crew: Léon Givon, pilot, François Urvoy, mechanic.

April 11, 1925 at 12:00 AM

Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques - CGEA

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO H-13

The crew was performing a mail flight from Oran to Alicante when an engine failed while overflying the Mediterranean Sea. The crew ditch the aircraft in the sea. Both pilots were rescued 15 hours later by a the crew of a Spanish speedboat. The aircraft sank and was lost.