20011206037749A

(-23) The aircraft was scheduled to depart opa-locka airport, opa-locka, FL. (Opf) at 0800 EST. Prior to taxi the flight crew had a problem with no. 1 VHF communication radio. Maintenance worked on the radio and the aircraft taxied to the runway. At the runway the crew again had radio problems and taxied back to their ramp area. The aircraft had a 5 hour (5) delay before departing for its destination of nassau, Bahamas (mynn). While on the ground at opa-locka the engines ran for 45 mins. No fuel was added to replace the fuel that was used. The aircraft flew to nassau. The aircraft was on the ground in nassau for three hours (3). The crew added 300 gals. Of fuel, 2010 lbs. They departed for opa-locka. Enroute the crew was advised by ATC that customs at opa-locka was closed. They diverted to ft. lauderdale (fll) to clear customs. After a two hour delay the aircraft departed for a 15 minute flight to opa-locka (opf). No fuel added. Eight (8) minutes into the flight both engines quit. The aircraft ditched just offshore. No fuel was found in the aircraft. (.19) on December 6, 2001, about 2258 eastern standard time, a convair 340, N582HG, registered to world aviation services, inc., operated by trans air link corporation, was ditched in the atlantic ocean, near sunny isles beach, Florida, following a precautionary shutdown of the right engine and a subsequent loss of engine power from the left engine. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 positioning flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the airline transport-rated pilot and co-pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 2250, from the fort lauderdale-hollywood international airport, fort lauderdale, Florida. The co-pilot reported that the first leg carried cargo from opa-locka, Florida, to nassau, Bahamas, and departed with approximately 926 to 946 gallons of fuel. The flight was flown at 15,000 feet, and was uneventful lasting approximately 49-50 minutes. After landing, the co-pilot later reported that a total of 300 gallons of fuel were added; approximately 150 gallons a side were added. He believed that the right tank had 10 more gallons total than the left fuel tank. The co-pilot also stated that before the flight departed on the second leg for the opa-locka airport (kopf), opa-locka, Florida, he checked the fuel gauges and thinks that both indicated approximately 50 gallons high. He estimated that 4,400 pounds of fuel were on board when the flight departed. The second leg was flown at 18,000 feet and when near the coastline, miami approach control advised that the flight needed to divert to either the miami international airport or the fort lauderdale-hollywood international airport (kfll) due to U.S. Customs being closed at the kopf airport. The flight diverted to the kfll airport and landed at approximately 1940 local hours; the flight duration was approximately 46-49 minutes. After clearing customs, the co-pilot checked fuel magna sticks on each wing and the captain followed behind him. Each fuel tank contained approximately 1,100 pounds of fuel; no fuel was added at the kfll airport. Before departure on the third leg, the fuel gauges were checked against the quantity as indicated by the magna sticks; the gauges were indicating approximately 200 pounds more than the magna sticks. The co-pilot stated that a total of 1,900 pounds of fuel were required for the flight from the kfll airport to the kopf airport. Visual flight rules (VFR) flight following was requested; the flight departed runway 9L, and was cleared to climb to 2,000 feet on a heading of 100 degrees. The flight proceeded over the ocean for approximately 1 minute then air traffic control (ATC) advised the flight crew to maintain a heading of 270 degrees. While flying westbound, he began seeing the shoreline when the flight was approximately 1/2 mile away, and at that time, he began hearing change in engine sound. He checked the RPM and fuel gauges and noted that the right RPM gauge needle was climbing but never to the green arc; the needle was fluctuating, and the right fuel gauge needle moved twice to zero but returned to the original reading. The left fuel tank gauge needle did not fluctuate. The right engine was secured as a precaution. The flight continued and the captain began "transferring" fuel from the right fuel tank to the left engine. The co-pilot advised ATC of the situation and requested a priority handling to the kopf airport. A short time after securing the right engine, the left engine tachometer began fluctuating as the right had but to a lesser extent, then the RPM dropped. The co-pilot advised the pilot to fly to the ocean and ATC was advised that the flight was going to ditch. A witness observed the airplane flying southeast bound towards the ocean and when near the shoreline, the airplane banked to the right flying southbound paralleling the beach. The airplane was ditched east of a buoy and remained floating after the ditching. Preliminary examination of the airplane at the accident site approximately 2 hours after the ditching revealed that the airplane was facing due north with the fuselage at the shoreline. The left wing was over the beach and the empennage was structurally separated. The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder were recovered for readout by the national transportation safety board located in Washington, DC.