# Accident 19970208001339A: Cessna 402C, Charlotte Amali, U.S. Virgin Islands, February 8, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 8, 1997, 19:32 local time
- Place: Charlotte Amali, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Airport: Cyril E King Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: RSHA
- Location: 18.3373° N, 64.9733° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CYRIL E KING (STT), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.3373&lon=-64.9733&mi=10
- Aircraft: N318AB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N318AB-1997-11-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 402C (registry code 207590R, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 402C
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520VB
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 13,000 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 290 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97FA082) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970208001339A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON FINAL APPROACH, CRASHED IN OCEAN. (.4)AS THE FLIGHT MADE A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT FROM THE SOUTH OVER THE SEA, AT NIGHT, THE PILOT CHANGED HIS NAVIGATION RADIO FROM THE VOR TO THE ILS SYSTEM FOR RUNWAY 10 AND LOST DME READING FROM THE VOR LOCATED ON A HILL NORTH OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. THE LOCALIZER SHOWED THE FLIGHT WAS SOUTH OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE, AND WITHOUT DME FROM THE VOR THE PILOT BELIEVED HE WAS MUCH CLOSER TO THE ISLAND AND THE AIRPORT THAN THE AIRCRAFT ACTUALLY WAS. AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRPORT AND MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE HILLS HE ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND AND CRASH INTO THE SEA ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD NOT FILED A FAA FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING THE ROUTE FOR 5 DAYS AND HAD NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINES. NO FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTORS HAD CONDUCTED SURVEILLANCE ON THE COMPANY'S FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN SINCE SERVICE HAD BEGUN IN DECEMBER 1996.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97FA082), Feb 8, 1997: Cessna 402C (N318AB), St. Thomas, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain altitude while making a visual approach at night over water in black hole conditions resulting in the aircraft descending and crashing into the sea. Contributing…

## Other reports on N318AB (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19940724031699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940724031699I), Jul 24, 1994: Cessna 402C (N318AB), St Petersburg-C, FL, Minor damage. Narrative: aircraft was crosswind on final approach for runway 35R at st. Petersburg/Clearwater airport. After an uneventful touch down and during rollout the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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