August 22, 2012, Gulf of Mexico, Piper PA-28RT-201T Turbo Arrow IV

At about 1140 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing into the Gulf of Mexico. The private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. While en route to St. Petersburg, Fla., from Knoxville, Tenn., the pilot maneuvered the airplane around several thunderstorms before the engine began to run rough and lost partial power over the Gulf of Mexico.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

An airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing (ditching) in the Gulf of Mexico due to the engine running rough and losing partial power.
The private pilot, en route from Knoxville to St. Petersburg, was not injured in the incident.
The pilot successfully ditched the aircraft in shallow water and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard approximately 35 minutes later.

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At about 1140 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing into the Gulf of Mexico. The private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

While en route to St. Petersburg, Fla., from Knoxville, Tenn., the pilot maneuvered the airplane around several thunderstorms before the engine began to run rough and lost partial power over the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot declared an emergency, searched for a place to land and located nearby islands. He ditched in approximately three to four feet of water and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard about 35 minutes later.