Coast Guard: "Here's An Issue Where Being Prepared For An Emergency Worked"

When 41-year old Itai Shoshani, departed Orlando (FL) Monday, he was prepared. Knowing that his route to White Plains (NY), Shoshani brought with him flairs and his trusty cell phone. But he probably never imagined he'd have to use them to save his life.

Diverted

Shoshani, whose Cessna 414 (file photo, right) was registered to Ritz Aviation, LLC, Dover (DE), was diverted from his original destination by air traffic controllers. Instead of landing at White Plains (NY), he was sent to Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Bridgeport (CT). The 414 was tracked inbound toward Bridgeport on radar, until it vanished from ATC screens at approximately 2:27 pm (EDT). Local police say Shoshani was running low on fuel at that point. He apparently didn't have enough go-juice to reach shore, much less Sikorsky Memorial.

Safe In Sound: "The Stars Were With Him"

"Here's an issue where being prepared for an emergency worked," said Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Matthew Belson in a interview with New York NewsDay. "The stars were aligned for him." The reason? Belson says Shoshani ditched the Cessna 414 in about 80 feet of water. Shoshani reportedly got out of the cockpit wearing a lifevest. In his hands, a bundle of flares and his cell phone. Shoshani clung to the sinking aircraft and dialed the Coast Guard.

Petty Officer John Olsen took the call. "He was able to calm the pilot down and give him some truly lifesaving instructions," Belson said. Olsen was able to calm Shoshani down, said Belson, then told him to look around for vessels in the area.

"He said, 'Wait a minute, I see a boat.' I told him to launch a flare," Olsen told The Associated Press. Shoshani launched a flair and the tugboat Atlantic Service changed course directly toward the sinking Cessna.

Seventeen minutes after his aircraft ditched, Shoshani was climbing into an ambulance. He was taken to a hospital in Bridgeport, treated for hypothermia and released.

The FAA and NTSB are now investigating.

FAA Preliminary Report

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 1234   Make/Model: C414   Description: 414, Chancellor
  Date: 05/26/2003     Time: 1828
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
  City: BRIDGEPORT   State: CT   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N1234, C414, IFR, ENROUTE FROM ORLANDO, FL TO WHITE PLAINS, NY DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL AND THEN MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE WATER 9.86 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRIDGEPORT, CT AT 1428 EDT ON 5/26/03. ONE PERSON ON BOARD RESCUED BY THE USCG. PILOT TREATED FOR HYPOTHERMIA. AIRCRAFT SUNK. BRIDGEPORT, CT.

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

WEATHER: BDR 1828Z 070015KT 1 1/2SM 700OVC A2992

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown  Phase: Cruise   Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: ORLANDO, FL    Dep Date: 05/26/2003   Dep. Time:
  Destination: WHITE PLAINS, NY    Flt Plan: IFR   Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont:   Last Clearance: 
  FAA FSDO: WINDSOR LOCKS, CT  (NE03)             Entry date: 05/27/2003

FMI: www2.faa.gov