What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Statement from pilot in command flight departed Santa Maria (smx) 10:00 local, bound for Hilo (ito) for refueling before continuing to australia. Aircraft followed flight way roma 5577 the copilot was in the rear of the aircraft manually operating the ferry fuel system pumps which involved pumping fuel from the rear tank to main tank then the forward tank to the main tank. The fuel ferry system consisted of two 150 gallon tanks and 2 pumps that would allow fuel transfer should one become inoperative. Main tank indicated 150 to 470 gallons.
At the end of the ferry fuel transfer the aircraft at way point etnc about the 5 hour mark of the flight. The engine quit and the propeller went to the feathered position. Following the emergency checklist for engine restart on the first attempt there where abnormal noises heard. The engine seemed to restart but only at flight idle and missing or no engine indication where noted. The pilots tried a second attempt to restart again unusual noise were heard. At this point the pilots made the mayday calls and prepared for ditching of the aircraft. Pilot reported that the aircraft was intact after impact and floated for several minutes before sinking.
As the FAA filed it
STATEMENT FROM PILOT IN COMMAND FLIGHT DEPARTED SANTA MARIA (SMX) 10:00 LOCAL, BOUND FOR HILO (ITO) FOR REFUELING BEFORE CONTINUING TO AUSTRALIA. AIRCRAFT FOLLOWED FLIGHT WAY ROMA 5577 THE COPILOT WAS IN THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT MANUALLY OPERATING THE FERRY FUEL SYSTEM PUMPS WHICH INVOLVED PUMPING FUEL FROM THE REAR TANK TO MAIN TANK THEN THE FORWARD TANK TO THE MAIN TANK. THE FUEL FERRY SYSTEM CONSISTED OF TWO 150 GALLON TANKS AND 2 PUMPS THAT WOULD ALLOW FUEL TRANSFER SHOULD ONE BECOME INOPERATIVE. MAIN TANK INDICATED 150 TO 470 GALLONS.
AT THE END OF THE FERRY FUEL TRANSFER THE AIRCRAFT AT WAY POINT ETNC ABOUT THE 5 HOUR MARK OF THE FLIGHT. THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PROPELLER WENT TO THE FEATHERED POSITION. FOLLOWING THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST FOR ENGINE RESTART ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT THERE WHERE ABNORMAL NOISES HEARD. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO RESTART BUT ONLY AT FLIGHT IDLE AND MISSING OR NO ENGINE INDICATION WHERE NOTED. THE PILOTS TRIED A SECOND ATTEMPT TO RESTART AGAIN UNUSUAL NOISE WERE HEARD. AT THIS POINT THE PILOTS MADE THE MAYDAY CALLS AND PREPARED FOR DITCHING OF THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS INTACT AFTER IMPACT AND FLOATED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE SINKING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.