What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On April 3, 2002, about 1210 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N768WC, registered to and operated by southstream aviation, inc., was ditched in coral harbor lake, southwest of the Nassau international airport, Nassau, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 personal flight to bimini, Bahamas. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot and a passenger were not injured. The flight originated about 6 minutes earlier from the Nassau international airport. According to the passenger who is a U.S. Certificated pilot, the airplane was fueled before takeoff. He checked the fuel tanks for contaminants after fueling; none were found. The flight departed from runway 14, then when turning on course to bimini, the left engine sputtered. The pilot reduced then increased power from the left engine which then quit. He noted at that time the manifold and fuel pressure indications were decreasing. The pilot then turned back towards the Nassau airport to return when the right engine quit. Unable to return to the airport, the pilot ditched the airplane in the lake; the airplane remained upright in approximately 1-4 feet deep water. Both occupants exited the airplane unaided. The accident site was located approximately 2.6 nautical miles southwest of the Nassau international airport. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of the Bahamas. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: manager of flight standards, Bahamas, p.o. box ap 59244, Nassau, n.p. Bahamas, phone: (242) 377-3445/3448, facsimile: (242) 377-6060. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information obtained for or released by the bahamian government.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON APRIL 3, 2002, ABOUT 1210 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 402B, N768WC, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY SOUTHSTREAM AVIATION, INC., WAS DITCHED IN CORAL HARBOR LAKE, SOUTHWEST OF THE NASSAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, NASSAU, BAHAMAS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT TO BIMINI, BAHAMAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 6 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE NASSAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER WHO IS A U.S. CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED BEFORE TAKEOFF. HE CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS FOR CONTAMINANTS AFTER FUELING; NONE WERE FOUND. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 14, THEN WHEN TURNING ON COURSE TO BIMINI, THE LEFT ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE PILOT REDUCED THEN INCREASED POWER FROM THE LEFT ENGINE WHICH THEN QUIT. HE NOTED AT THAT TIME THE MANIFOLD AND FUEL PRESSURE INDICATIONS WERE DECREASING. THE PILOT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE NASSAU AIRPORT TO RETURN WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT. UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE LAKE; THE AIRPLANE REMAINED UPRIGHT IN APPROXIMATELY 1-4 FEET DEEP WATER. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE UNAIDED. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 2.6 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE NASSAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE INVESTIGATION IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS. ANY FURTHER INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM: MANAGER OF FLIGHT STANDARDS, BAHAMAS, P.O. BOX AP 59244, NASSAU, N.P. BAHAMAS, PHONE: (242) 377-3445/3448, FACSIMILE: (242) 377-6060. THIS REPORT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND CONTAINS ONLY INFORMATION OBTAINED FOR OR RELEASED BY THE BAHAMIAN GOVERNMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.