Two Okay After Emergency Water Landing

Nicholas Crlucci and James Slobodnik went flying Monday morning -- a little sightseeing trip along southwest Florida's beautiful gulf coast. They didn't, however, expect to go swimming.

Still, that's just what they ended up doing. after their Cessna 172 apparently lost power near the airstrip on North Captiva Island. The airstrip is just off the beach. So is the 172 -- the other side of the beach.

The 60-year old Carlucci, from Venice, and his 58-year old companion refused medical treatment after their aircraft impacted the water and flipped over. They were able to swim about 20 yards to shore. But their plane, inverted, threatened to drift out to sea.

Folks staying on North Captiva -- which is only accessible by sea or air -- rushed to the beach to help. About 15 people were able to secure a line to the aircraft and prevent it from drifting into deeper water.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 4347Q        Make/Model: C172      Description: 172, P172, R172, Skyhawk, Hawk XP, Cutla
  Date: 05/31/2004     Time: 1440

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: CAPTIVA ISLAND              State: FL   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND CRASHED INTO THE WATER, CAPTIVA ISLAND, FL

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:    1     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:           Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED                                                               
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: UNK                         Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: UNK                      Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNK
  Last Clearance: UNK

  FAA FSDO: TAMPA, FL  (SO35)                     Entry date: 06/01/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov