20030713035469A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 402C · Treasure Cay, Bahamas · July 13, 2003

Date: July 13, 2003 · 15:30 local
Place: Treasure Cay, Bahamas
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: RSHA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N314AB
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA03FA141
Reported as: Cessna 402C
Reported engine: Continental TSIO520VB
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total5,000 in this make and model250 in the last 90 days

N314ABRegistration cancelled Sep 19, 2007 · Cessna 402CS/N 402C0413 · Built 1980 Airframe modelCessna 402C Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot reported 20 miles west of the destination airport at an altitude of 3,500 feet. Oil was seen coming from the right engine. He then heard a "pop" and engine parts came out through the top of the cowling. The aircraft was approximately seven miles from the airport. The pilot stated that he feathered the right engine and applied full power to the left engine but could not maintain altitude. The airplane descended at a rate of between 200 and 300 feet per minute for about five miles before impacting the water. The nine passengers and one pilot managed to egress the aircraft successfully. The U.S. Coast guard removed the passengers and pilot from the water approximately two hours after the ditching occurred. Two passengers drowned during the period of time between the aircraft ditching and the rescue by the coast guard.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT REPORTED 20 MILES WEST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3,500 FEET. OIL WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE THEN HEARD A "POP" AND ENGINE PARTS CAME OUT THROUGH THE TOP OF THE COWLING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FEATHERED THE RIGHT ENGINE AND APPLIED FULL POWER TO THE LEFT ENGINE BUT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT A RATE OF BETWEEN 200 AND 300 FEET PER MINUTE FOR ABOUT FIVE MILES BEFORE IMPACTING THE WATER. THE NINE PASSENGERS AND ONE PILOT MANAGED TO EGRESS THE AIRCRAFT SUCCESSFULLY. THE U.S. COAST GUARD REMOVED THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT FROM THE WATER APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER THE DITCHING OCCURRED. TWO PASSENGERS DROWNED DURING THE PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT DITCHING AND THE RESCUE BY THE COAST GUARD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA03FA141Accident · 2 fatalClass 1 · FieldFinal reportTreasure Cay, Bahamasthe in-flight failure of the right engine and the pilot’s failure to adequately manage the airplane’s performance after the engine failed. The right engine failure resulted from inadequate maintenance that was performed by Air Sunshine’s maintenance personnel…Jul 13, 2003 · Substantial damage