Plane crashes off Boca Raton

ateamer said:
I got my commercial cert in an M20J. I did the emergency extension procedure twice in training. That CFI had all of his commercial students do the same. They didn’t have any problems with the gear system.
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"When I picked up my bird in TX Maxwell specifically stated it really should only be used in an emergency. Do it once in a while for practice and once a year during annual and thats it. After he showed me the interface that the handle actually connects to the motor with I realized why he said that. Its very small, not the strongest, and is easy to strip out."

I never touched it except for BFR then just used the check list to show HOW I would of done it If in fact it was an emergency. Again I never touched it. Well known problem especially coming from Maxwell.
 
ionel said:
No one injured. Isn't that a good outcome? The airplane condition is unimportant correct? Also she didn't shut down a runway or an entire airport.
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True, no one was injured, but there was potential for serious injuries or death to bystanders. There was no way she could have been sure that there wasn't any swimmer or snorkler lurking under the water. They are hard to spot even if you are swimming next to them, let alone when flying at 100 mph. Had there been one serious injury to an innocent person, this conversation would be going in a different direction. I would have taken the runway and risk a fire - at least in that case it is my personal safety that is at risk, not some unsuspecting beachgoer.
 
Brad Smith said:
Are airframes that are dunked for a couple days in the ocean permanently damaged or can they be brought back 100%? I assume that all electrical components/anionics are trash.
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Dunking metal in salt water tends to not be good for it... And like you said, every electrical connection and the avionics are trashed too. And the interior. And and and...

I'm sure there are counterexamples, but airplanes that get dunked in salt water are pretty much always gonna be totaled... And I always wonder when someone does this in the vicinity of an airport whether they know that and just want the insurance check.

Mikey52 said:
Were you single engine at the time? I doubt that Twinkie flys very good single engine and the gear down.
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Gear wasn't down, and she was solo. It'll fly fine.

bonefishpete said:
My mooney had a cable that had to be pulled many times to ratchet it down.
Never tested as I believe it could cause the gear return spring breaking which renders the gear stuck. Mechanic never tested it and convinced its not required.
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I've gone in and done it in the shop on jacks at a few annuals. No big deal, but I wouldn't do it in flight without a failure.

bonefishpete said:
Maybe a Twin Comanche pilot will respond.
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Paging @Ryan F.

sarangan said:
True, no one was injured, but there was potential for serious injuries or death to bystanders. There was no way she could have been sure that there wasn't any swimmer or snorkler lurking under the water. They are hard to spot even if you are swimming next to them, let alone when flying at 100 mph. Had there been one serious injury to an innocent person, this conversation would be going in a different direction. I would have taken the runway and risk a fire - at least in that case it is my personal safety that is at risk, not some unsuspecting beachgoer.
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Yeah, this plane would be easily repairable and the landing would have been extremely safe had it been put on a runway with CFR available. As it is, one of the nicest and youngest examples of the type is now gonna be beer cans. Looking at pics and registry, it's a 1971 PA-39 (counter-rotating props) with tip tanks and R/STOL, Wow Cowls, and likely some other mods. You can't get R/STOL any more, and it's a highly desirable mod, not to mention it being one of the newest ones with the CR props/engines.

Ugh. :(
 
Found a sale listing for it, apparently from 2021 before the prior owner bought it - Only 1,015 total time.

In addition to what it had from my prior post, it had SureFly ignition, aileron and flap gap seals, "new gear wiring harness" (interesting), gear lobes, flap track fairings, and speed spats.

Avionics: Aspen, dual G5s, 530W, GNC 255A, GTX345, GDL69, JPI 760, S-TEC 30.

bonefishpete said:
Seems that aircraft was in the family for a very long time. She may have hundreds of hours in it for all we know.
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Near as I can tell, they bought it in April of 2025. Previous owner had it 2021-2025. Where did you get your information?

Interestingly, it was purchased new by a Brazilian buyer and lived in Porto Alegre for its first 30 years. Imported back into the US in June 2001 with 504.2 AFTT.
 
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sarangan said:
True, no one was injured, but there was potential for serious injuries or death to bystanders. There was no way she could have been sure that there wasn't any swimmer or snorkler lurking under the water. They are hard to spot even if you are swimming next to them, let alone when flying at 100
mph. Had there been one serious injury to an innocent person, this conversation would be going in a different direction. I would have taken the runway and risk a fire - at least in that case it is my personal safety that is at risk, not some unsuspecting beachgoer.
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All my years I don't recall a single gear up landing that has led to a fire or serious injury. Two of my buddies landed gear up no fire. One was a Comanche 400.
 
A post containing extensive personally identifiable information has been removed, possibly temporarily, possibly permanently, while the MC discusses whether it's appropriate given the uncertainty surrounding the event and the relevance of the posted information. In the meantime if it's publicly available we can all find it on our own.

Nauga,
gauzy
 
bonefishpete said:
All my years I don't recall a single gear up landing that has led to a fire or serious injury. Two of my buddies landed gear up no fire. One was a Comanche 400.
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All my years driving cars, trucks etc I dont recall ever seeing a fatal accident and yet ...
 
bonefishpete said:
All my years I don't recall a single gear up landing that has led to a fire or serious injury. Two of my buddies landed gear up no fire. One was a Comanche 400.
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Really? I remember reading about them over the years, granted rarely. But they do happen.

This one came up on my first search, I'm sure you could find others if did a little more searching. And odds are the fire department would have been there had she gone to the airport, so the fire would have been put out quickly as it was in the video. But there still was a fire and had the landing not been as smooth it may not have turned out as well.
https://www.boldmethod.com/blog/video/2015/02/cessna-404-wheels-up-emergency-landing/
 
Plane being dissembled. The tech working said something about a potential fuel issue? He know something or pure speculation?

bocadailynews.com

Downed Plane in Boca Raton Park, Will Be 'Winched' by Crane and Hauled Away

Crews were at Silver Palm Park and boat ramp in Boca Raton on Sunday, preparing a twin-engine airplane that went down in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, to be winched by a crane and hauled away on a flatbed. The plane was towed to the boat ramp before being parked, with its gear down and […]
bocadailynews.com bocadailynews.com
 
Total electrical failure, aircraft radios wont work another good reason to carry a handheld radio with plug to work on headset that could have been used to get help.
 
If she was worried about a fire from sparks then she could have gone to PBI or FLL where they have equipment for aircraft fires. Heck once there she could have landed along the side of the runway in the grass greatly reducing the chance of sparks.
 
Anything new? I'm seeing media reports that she "masterfully avoided tall buildings, kayakers and swimmers to skillfully land her crippled aircraft on the water". I bet she also masterfully maneuvered her damaged aircraft to avoid a school full of kids, a bus load of nuns, and a family of ducks crossing the road. I am assuming that she will be giving interviews on Good Morning America by tomorrow.

There are way too many issues with this forced landing that I'm a little suspicious.
 
Sitting in the air conditioning in my comfortable chair with time to reflect, maybe I would make different tactical decisions.

But what i decided a long time ago, was that if my airplane turned on me, my prime directive is to not hurt/kill me or others. The insurance can deal with property (airplane) damage. We know with certainty, the decisions she made were totally effective in that regard. Therefore, me thinks she did good.

Losing one engine is a thing that will usually (but not always) end up fine on a runway. Add to that a gear problem and it gets much more problematic. A comanche needs to go slow for emergency gear reduction. Less than 100mph -- but slower is better. Blue line is 105 mph. Seems to be exciting at best. you're pretty deep into the chain at that point.

Gear up on a runway will total most Comanche's anyway.

Again, her decisions led to safety for all humans. So, perhaps an opportunity for a "what would I do" exercise, but no concerns from me. A good outcome.
 
jayhawk74 said:
If she was worried about a fire from sparks then she could have gone to PBI or FLL where they have equipment for aircraft fires.
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Yep. It's not like Florida is lacking in landing facilities...

jayhawk74 said:
Heck once there she could have landed along the side of the runway in the grass greatly reducing the chance of sparks.
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And greatly increasing the chances of damage and injury.
 
FlightmechH3 said:
Anything new? I'm seeing media reports that she "masterfully avoided tall buildings, kayakers and swimmers to skillfully land her crippled aircraft on the water". I bet she also masterfully maneuvered her damaged aircraft to avoid a school full of kids, a bus load of nuns, and a family of ducks crossing the road. I am assuming that she will be giving interviews on Good Morning America by tomorrow.

There are way too many issues with this forced landing that I'm a little suspicious.
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I'm with ya. There HAS to be more to this story. In the BocaNews article a tech working on the plane (disassembly) said something about a fuel issue. Someone else reported potential electrical problems. Who knows.

Wearing a bikini to pick up parents in another country? Really? She was dressed like she knew she was going swimming.

Forget her age and discussions around that specific point. With the ratings and training she had, she certainly practiced engine out, gear, fuel, and emergency ops procedures more than once - in a plane and in a sim. Power-off 180 as well. She could have easily geared-up in the grass in Boca and slid in. In the water there was more risk going A over T which would do more bodily harm than sliding on grass. Not trying to drop the gear manually? She did feather the engine, but stopped there. I don't know. I would not have made the decisions she did. I don't wear swim clothes (aka Banana Hammock as you do o_O) for practice pattern work, let alone fly to another country.

I'm sure Dan Gryder, Juan Browne, and others are going to have fun times with this incident. I'm glad she wasn't hurt and no one else was either, but at the same time a very odd sequence of events transpired.
 
The armchair quarterbacking is on fire, and reading comprehension is low. She wasn't wearing a bikini, she had a long skirt on but ditched it to swim. I'll just say none of you know much of the details so it's all bombastic baseless assumptions. And btw, I've flown in congested areas and driven in traffic with y'all. Your decision making skills aren't half what you think they are.
 
This plane is totaled in my opinion. My question is in a news article it said the plane would be moved to a storage area and the FAA was going to disassemble and inspect it.

As an owner do you have any say in how it is disassembled or what is tested or destroyed by testing? I suspect you have no say in what the FAA does to your plane?
 
Jjackh01 said:
The armchair quarterbacking is on fire, and reading comprehension is low. She wasn't wearing a bikini, she had a long skirt on but ditched it to swim.
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Yes, reading is fundamental. According to her own statement, she had on a skirt over a bikini. So she was very much wearing a bikini. And a cover-up. Your reaction seems extreme given what's been written here. Are you a friend of hers?
 
There it is. "Look at me, I'm a hero!"

The family is already giving out interviews to the NY Post and others.

Sorry, no liferaft while flying over open water? Swimsuit? She must have saved her waterproof phone to get the news out about herself while at the hospital to correct them that she was a female pilot, not a surfer chick saving a male pilot.

After the Trevor incident, I'm very suspicious of this oneScreenshot_20260825_115511_Chrome.jpg
 
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bonefishpete said:
This plane is totaled in my opinion. My question is in a news article it said the plane would be moved to a storage area and the FAA was going to disassemble and inspect it.

As an owner do you have any say in how it is disassembled or what is tested or destroyed by testing? I suspect you have no say in what the FAA does to your plane?
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No. The NTSB typically has its preferred shops.
 
Alright, I'm going to be a doubting thomas. This doesn't feel like an accident, at least not a necessary one.

Someone at her experience level flew AWAY from the airport in a densely populated area with a mechanically deficient aircraft specifically to ditch the plane in the ocean. One engine fails AND the landing gear fails? AND she just happens to be dressed in swim wear? AND she's giving press interviews afterwards thanking her local police and firefighters and congratulating herself on navigating a tricky ditching situation on a busy beach? IDK what questions the NTSB/insurance company ask in these situations, but if I were them I'd be curious to know how significant her troubleshooting efforts were in air and I'd want to understand exact decision making process lol.

IDK. I can't make myself believe this was a coincidence but glad no one was injured.

EDIT, plane looks like it's maybe salvageable...
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GLMS_NC said:
Wearing a bikini to pick up parents in another country? Really? She was dressed like she knew she was going swimming.
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As others have stated, she wasn't just wearing a bikini... but I'm guessing you're not from FL or anywhere that has a "beach oriented lifestyle." I don't live in FL, CA, Bahamas or any beach area. But I've been to them a fair amount to visit family (in FL) and for work in various places around the world. To be wearing a bikini with a long skirt over it is like me putting on boots to go hiking in the mountains. Your bent out of shape on the fact that her route had her FLYING OVER WATER TO THE BAHAMAS and she was wearing a bikini????? It may not be the way your mind works wherever you happen to live, but for a lot of people, this is just how they dress.

Oh D**n!!... as I was typing this I remembered flying to the Bahamas with my cousin in his Saratoga and him actually telling me not to wear long pants. So even I wore "swimming" attire on my flight to the Bahamas... I guess I must have been planning to ditch his plane as we departed the FL shoreline! :eek::D
 
As someone that doesn't own an airplane...but owned multiple boats over 25 years docked in my backyard on the GOA...I wouldn't want a free airplane that had been dunked in the ocean.

I've seen what saltwater does... in places you can't believe it could even get into. No thanks.
 
M20K said:
As others have stated, she wasn't just wearing a bikini... but I'm guessing you're not from FL or anywhere that has a "beach oriented lifestyle." I don't live in FL, CA, Bahamas or any beach area. But I've been to them a fair amount to visit family (in FL) and for work in various places around the world. To be wearing a bikini with a long skirt over it is like me putting on boots to go hiking in the mountains. Your bent out of shape on the fact that her route had her FLYING OVER WATER TO THE BAHAMAS and she was wearing a bikini?????
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Nope. Not from FL. I live on the coast and fly regularly in coastal (beach) areas. I have never seen anyone dress like her. Male or female. Flying to another country to boot. This ain't like flying to the mountains for a hike.

Not hung up on what she wore. Don't care really. Over water with no raft? Wasn't wearing a life jacket either. More oddities to this incident. Just so many weird actions has more than me asking questions.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
EDIT, plane looks like it's maybe salvageable...
View attachment 154568
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Naah. Not soaked in salt water it's not. It may look fine now, but it's junk. There's a reason there aren't any Boeing 314s in museums.

wanttaja said:
The only thing worse than dying in an aircraft accident, apparently, is SURVIVING an aircraft accident.
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No, there's one worse than that: Surviving an aircraft accident while an attractive female.
 
GLMS_NC said:
Nope. Not from FL. I live on the coast and fly regularly in coastal (beach) areas. I have never seen anyone dress like her. Male or female.
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Ummm...want to tell us where you got that X-Ray vision? How do you *know* that all the women you see aren't wearing swimwear under their street clothes?

As an engineer, I'm certainly no expert on women's underclothing. But I fail to see the "operational" difference between a bikini bottom and a pair of panties.

Ron Wanttaja
 
GLMS_NC said:
Wearing a bikini to pick up parents in another country? Really? She was dressed like she knew she was going swimming.
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M20K said:
As others have stated, she wasn't just wearing a bikini... but I'm guessing you're not from FL or anywhere that has a "beach oriented lifestyle." I don't live in FL, CA, Bahamas or any beach area. But I've been to them a fair amount to visit family (in FL) and for work in various places around the world. To be wearing a bikini with a long skirt over it is like me putting on boots to go hiking in the mountains. Your bent out of shape on the fact that her route had her FLYING OVER WATER TO THE BAHAMAS and she was wearing a bikini????? It may not be the way your mind works wherever you happen to live, but for a lot of people, this is just how they dress.
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I don't live near a coast either. But I've flown around them plenty of times. Including Florida to Bahamas trips.

There is a 100% chance I've flown in swim ware. If that had included a cover-up, there is another 100% chance I'd ditch it to swim more effectively if I needed to.

I'm going flying shortly and there is a 100% chance I'll be wearing shorts and a t-shirt because it's hot AF in Texas right now.
 
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