20030220002099A

(.19) On February 20, 2003, about 1220 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N554AE, registered to johan-pat, inc., operated by bel air transport, dba airways express, was ditched in the atlantic ocean approximately 10 nautical miles south-southwest of Marathon Airport, Marathon, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR part 91 positioning flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the airline transport-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 1015, from jose marti international airport, havana, cuba. The pilot stated that the flight initially originated from the tamiami airport, where the fuel tanks were filled the day before the accident. On the day and morning of the accident, he flew the airplane from the tamiami airport to the miami international airport where two passengers were en planed for a 14 CFR part 135 non-scheduled, international passenger flight to havana, cuba. The flight departed miami and landed in havana, cuba, where the passenger deplaned; the approximate 1 hour 45-minute flight was uneventful. After landing he secured the airplane and cleared customs; fuel was not purchased while in cuba. The flight departed to return to miami and while flying at 8,000 feet at tadpo (compulsory reporting point), he smelled a strong odor of "avgas" in the cabin. He checked the engine gauges which were indicating "ok." The flight continued and when the flight was 10-20 miles from Marathon, he then smelled burning, though the engine power indications were still ok. He advised the controller pan, pan, pan, and the right engine then began missing and surging. He observed fire on top of the right engine cowling near the louvers; the fire was, "nothing like a major fire." He feathered the right propeller and secured the right engine, the smell of fuel and fumes worsened, irritating his eyes. He noted that the manifold pressure and RPM gauge needles were surging but doesn't recall any other engine instrument indications. He then declared an emergency with ATC, and started descending at blue line airspeed after he secured the right engine. The odor became worse then the left engine started missing and sputtering. The RPM and manifold pressure gauge needles were "erratic"; he doesn't recall any other engine instrument indications. He moved the left propeller control to the feather position but the propeller did not feather; the propeller blades continued to rotate. He then secured the left engine. While descending at blue line airspeed with the flaps and gear retracted, the avgas smell got worse. At 800 feet mean sea level (MSL), he lost contact with miami air route traffic control center, and at 400 feet, he lowered full flaps and landing gear, and slowed the airplane. He exited the airplane after it came to rest and donned and inflated a life vest that he took from the airplane. He sat on one of the wings of the airplane, but it sank quickly; the airplane did not go inverted. He was rescued by a boat after being in the water for about 20 minutes. (-23) during cruise flight, the pilot reported a fire coming from the right engine cowling vents and a strong fuel smell in the cabin. He shut down the right engine and feathered the right propeller. Approximately 5 minutes later, the pilot reported the left engine began to "sputter". He reportedly then shut down the left engine and ditched the aircraft in the ocean 5 miles from Marathon, Florida. Investigation revealed the right engine had an ex haust system failure on the right inboard side, at the #2 cylinder and the exhaust elbow. We were unable to determine why the left engine was shut down by the pilot.