# NTSB MIA03FA141: Cessna 402C, N314AB, Treasure Cay, Bahamas, July 13, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 1 · Field · Final report - Date: July 13, 2003, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Treasure Cay, Bahamas - Coordinates: 26.764999, -77.518333 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7650&lon=-77.5183&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal, 6 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 18, 2006 - Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting - Investigation class: Class 1 - Parties: FAA, Cessna Aircraft Company, FAA, ACO, Teledyne Continental Motors, FAA, AAI-100, McCauley Propeller Systems - Safety recommendations: Yes - NTSB case key (mKey): 57486 - NTSB case page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/MIA03FA141.aspx - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57486/pdf - Board report AAR0403 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR0403.pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03FA141 ## Probable cause the 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 during undocumented maintenance. Contributing to the passenger fatalities was the pilot’s failure to provide an emergency briefing after the right engine failed. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, descent - normal - engine assembly - failure - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-04/03. On July 13, 2003, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 402C, N314AB, registered to Tropical International Airlines Inc., and operated by Air Sunshine Inc., as Air Sunshine flight 527, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean about 7.35 nautical miles west-northwest of Treasure Cay Airport (MYAT), Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas, after the in-flight failure of the right engine. Two of the nine passengers sustained no injuries, five passengers and the pilot sustained minor injuries, and one adult and one child passenger died after they evacuated the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was being operated under the provisions 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 as a scheduled international passenger commuter flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to MYAT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. ## Factual narrative The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-04/03. On July 13, 2003, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 402C, N314AB, registered to Tropical International Airlines Inc., and operated by Air Sunshine Inc., as Air Sunshine flight 527, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean about 7.35 nautical miles west-northwest of Treasure Cay Airport (MYAT), Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas, after the in-flight failure of the right engine. Two of the nine passengers sustained no injuries, five passengers and the pilot sustained minor injuries, and one adult and one child passenger died after they evacuated the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was being operated under the provisions 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 as a scheduled international passenger commuter flight from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to MYAT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N314AB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N314AB-2007-09-19), registration cancelled 2007-09-19, S/N 402C0413, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 402C - Registry model: [Cessna 402C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402c) (registry code 207590R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 402C0413 - Airframe hours: 17589 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-VB 325 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Air Sunshine, Inc., doing business as Tropical Aviation Services, Inc. - Registered owner: Tropical International Airlines, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, July 8, 2003, 24.1 hours before - Departed: KFLL, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Destination: MYAT, Treasure Cay - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: MYAT, Treasure Cay Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 9, 2002; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 7,904 total, 4,964 in this make and model, 5,637 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 10 knots - Visibility: 11.51 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: MYAT, 64 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030713035469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030713035469A), Jul 13, 2003: Cessna 402C, Treasure Cay, Bahamas, Substantial damage, 2 fatal. (-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… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.