20230520011569A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Viking Air DHC-6-400 · In The Ocean La, CA · May 20, 2023

Date: May 20, 2023 · 13:54 local
Place: In The Ocean La, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: 681J
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N153QS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA192
Reported as: Viking Air DHC-6-400
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0

N153QSRegistration cancelled Mar 15, 2026 · Viking Air DHC-6-400S/N 869 · Built 2013 Airframe modelViking Air DHC-6-400 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 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.

Pilots reported to ATC engine failure due to unable to transfer fuel to the main tanks. Engines failed to operate and aircraft landed in the Ocean. Result was aircraft damaged and two pilot fatalities. No passengers onboard. Mostly submerged in the water. Only one landing gear and one engine nacelle visible. Propeller missing from engine nacelle that was visible above the water line. Coast guard was unable to retrieve pilots due to not having any scuba gear, but they were able to see both pilots still in their seats. Aircraft insurance company has hired a ship to try and locate the aircraft. No recovery of aircraft as of September 1, 2023. A fuel tank bladder washed up on a nearby beach, but not verified yet if from the accident aircaft. NTSB rep said he plans on looking at the fuel bladder.

As the FAA filed it

PILOTS REPORTED TO ATC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO UNABLE TO TRANSFER FUEL TO THE MAIN TANKS. ENGINES FAILED TO OPERATE AND AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE OCEAN. RESULT WAS AIRCRAFT DAMAGED AND TWO PILOT FATALITIES. NO PASSENGERS ONBOARD. MOSTLY SUBMERGED IN THE WATER. ONLY ONE LANDING GEAR AND ONE ENGINE NACELLE VISIBLE. PROPELLER MISSING FROM ENGINE NACELLE THAT WAS VISIBLE ABOVE THE WATER LINE. COAST GUARD WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE PILOTS DUE TO NOT HAVING ANY SCUBA GEAR, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE BOTH PILOTS STILL IN THEIR SEATS. AIRCRAFT INSURANCE COMPANY HAS HIRED A SHIP TO TRY AND LOCATE THE AIRCRAFT. NO RECOVERY OF AIRCRAFT AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2023. A FUEL TANK BLADDER WASHED UP ON A NEARBY BEACH, BUT NOT VERIFIED YET IF FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRCAFT. NTSB REP SAID HE PLANS ON LOOKING AT THE FUEL BLADDER.

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 WPR23LA192Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportHalf Moon Bay, CAThe failure of the ferry fuel tank system to transfer fuel during a trans-Pacific flight for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent ditching into the water.May 20, 2023 · Substantial damage