# Accident 20201106019619A: Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47E, Hilo, HI, November 6, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 6, 2020, 13:38 local time
- Place: Hilo, HI
- Airport: Santa Maria Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.5937° N, 139.6529° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5937&lon=-139.6529&mi=10
- Aircraft: N400PW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N400PW-2023-01-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pilatus PC-12/47E (registry code 7090553, https://openairdocs.org/model/pilatus-pc-12-47e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6E-67XP (registry code 52311, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6e-67xp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD PC-12/47E
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6E-67XP
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,800 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC21LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA006) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201106019619A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC21LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA006), Nov 6, 2020: Pilatus PC12 (N400PW), Pacific Ocean (Pacific Ocean), substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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