I know a fair number of members here are private pilots and probably a lot got their start in the smaller Cessna models. Bet not many fly a single engine Cessna 2000+ NM over open ocean, fewer yet have been misfortunate enough to have a ditch a small plane into the ocean, and I bet that none have been misfortunate enough to do it twice...One of our Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point C-130's found this gentleman (see attached link to local newspaper article) treading water last evening just before sunset over 700+ nm south of Honolulu, about 4 miles from where he'd ditched his Cessna 182 just before noon while on a trip from Hilo, Hawaii to Pago Pago, American Samoa (FS Build tells me the great circle route is 2,246 NM). We were fortunate enough to drop a life raft which he then floated in until we could divert a container ship to recover him safely and without injury at about 0300 local time. Finding a person floating in the water from a fixed wing aircraft in the open ocean is a nearly herculean feat...he was smart enough to wear a PFD including retro and radar reflective tape. An ELT signal was received on impact but wasn't heard from again. He had a liferaft, but that left the airplane on impact and apparently didn't deploy. Most of all, he'd been through this once already, so knew what to expect...In 1999 the CG in Honolulu also rescued this individual and a companion after an engine failure in his Piper Cherokee, a bit closer to the Hawaiian Islands (on another delivery flight), at night.Everytime I think I might have seen it all.... http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/...5/br/br06p.htmlbest regards,Capt Chris ConklinUSCGHonolulu

Thank goodness you were flying in the C-130 "Hercules"!! :-lolI guess this pilot will never learn!W. Sieffert

happens everyday, in all the major oceans. Thats what I readin "Air Vagabonds", a great book written by a man who did overwater ferry flights for a living over 30 years.check your local library or bookstore

An SE aircraft over open ocean going into nightfall?Did you have the DEA dogs sniffing the wreckage?

Im starting my flight training pretty soon :) Lucky enough that I dont have to use a Cessna or even a Piper for my training!!! My flight school specialized in Mooney Bravos! :D

Thanks Mike, I'll have to check that out. We have had a few out here and between the west coast and Hawaii. Unfortunately many of them don't have the positive outcome this one did. We figured since we knew this guy had been through this one time before, his chances were better. Turns out now after we did the survivor debrief we learned that he now flies with a complete PFD, survival vest, and actually had radar reflective tape on his vest, that is how we were able to get him on radar first and then go check the contact out...then drop him a life raft, and sea conditions were nearly ideal. I'm pretty sure wearing that gear was what made the difference in this case.chris