# Accident 20020118001659A: Bnorm BN2A27, Tortola, VI, January 18, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2002, 14:55 local time
- Place: Tortola, VI
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: UVUA
- Aircraft: N616GL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N616GL-2006-12-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Britten-Norman BN-2A-27 (registry code 1520227, https://openairdocs.org/model/britten-norman-bn-2a-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BNORM BN2A27
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL02WA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02WA041) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020118001659A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE BRITTEN-NORMAN ISLANDER N616GL WAS ON A PART 135 FLIGHT FROM ANEGADA TO VIRGIN GORDA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. AT 18:55 UCT LOST POWER IN ITS TWO ENGINES MAKING AN OBLIGATED DITCHING OFF THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE SEA AND CAREFULLY EXAMINED. A TOTAL OF 85 U.S. GALLONS OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN ITS TWO MAIN TANKS. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN ITS TIP TANKS. THE FUEL MANAGEMENT CONTROL IN THE COCKPIT SHOWED THAT THE PILOT WAS FEEDING THE ENGINES FROM THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN TANKS. WHILE THE MAIN TANKS STILL DRAINED FUEL FROM ITS DRAINS, THE ENGINES' FUEL DRAINS DID NOT EXPEL FUEL AT ALL. LATER IN THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AFTER SEVERAL FLIGHTS AROUND THE CARIBBEAN ISLANDS THE AIRPLANE UNDERTOOK MAINTENANCE IN ITS FUEL SYSTEM THE DAY BEFORE THE DITCH. THE FUEL TIP TANKS WERE DEFERRED AS INOPERATIVE AFTER TRYING TO BRING THEM BACK TO SERVICE BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. A TOTAL OF 10 U.S. GALLONS WERE LEFT IN EACH OF THE TWO WINGTIP TANKS BUT DISCONNECTED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM ITSELF ACCORDING TO MAINTENANCE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE FUEL TANKS WERE VERIFIED FOR ITS CONTENT. THE TIP TANKS HAD NO FUEL AND THE MAIN TANKSSTILL CONTAINED THE 85 U.S. GALLONS.

## 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 ATL02WA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02WA041), Jan 18, 2002: Britten-Norman BN2-A (N616GL), British Virgin, British Virgin Islands, substantial damage

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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