20050813022509A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Ft Lauderdale, FL · August 13, 2005

Date: August 13, 2005 · 15:59 local
Place: Ft Lauderdale, FL
Airport: Ft Lauderdale-Hollywood International
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: EYLA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N318JL
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA05LA149
Reported as: Piper PA31350
People aboard: 6
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,500 total6,800 in this make and model290 in the last 90 days

N318JLRegistration cancelled Jun 7, 2017 · Piper PA-31-350S/N 318152033 · Built 1980 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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) On August 13, 2005, Piper PA-31-350, registration number N318JL while on a flight from north eleuthera, Bahamas to fort Lauderdale international airport, experienced engine failure on the left engine and could not maintain altitude resulting in ditching the aircraft into the atlantic ocean 10 miles east of fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to the pilot, there was approximately 35 gallons of fuel in each wing tank. The pilot stated that the left engine experienced a reduction in manifold pressure, possibly due to a failing turbocharger. The pilot feathered the left propeller and prepared the passengers for the ditching. After landing in the ocean, the pilot and all of the passengers safely evacuated the aircraft and were picked up by a nearby fishing boat and delivered to the fort Lauderdale coast guard station. Further investigation into the cause of the engine failure is limited because the aircraft sank.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON AUGUST 13, 2005, PIPER PA-31-350, REGISTRATION NUMBER N318JL WHILE ON A FLIGHT FROM NORTH ELEUTHERA, BAHAMAS TO FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE ON THE LEFT ENGINE AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE RESULTING IN DITCHING THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN 10 MILES EAST OF FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH WING TANK. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN MANIFOLD PRESSURE, POSSIBLY DUE TO A FAILING TURBOCHARGER. THE PILOT FEATHERED THE LEFT PROPELLER AND PREPARED THE PASSENGERS FOR THE DITCHING. AFTER LANDING IN THE OCEAN, THE PILOT AND ALL OF THE PASSENGERS SAFELY EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE PICKED UP BY A NEARBY FISHING BOAT AND DELIVERED TO THE FORT LAUDERDALE COAST GUARD STATION. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE IS LIMITED BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT SANK.

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 MIA05LA149Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Lauderdale, FLThe reported loss of engine power from the left engine, and the failure of the left propeller to feather for undetermined reasons, resulting in the inability to maintain altitude, and subsequent ditching.Aug 13, 2005 · Substantial damage