- Date
- May 22, 1997, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Juan, PR
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N355TConvair CV-240
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970522011689A
- Case key
- 38287
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure of the aft master rod in the right engine, and failure of the front master rod bearing in the left engine, which resulted in a forced landing on a beach and a subsequent encounter with ocean water.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that during cruise flight, the flight crew noticed that the left engine had high temperature and that its oil pressure started to fluctuate. A precautionary engine shutdown was performed. A short time later, the right engine started to fail, and the airplane would not maintain altitude. The left engine was restarted, but the flight crew could not maintain altitude. A forced landing was made on a beach; however, the airplane came to rest in 5 feet of water in the Atlantic Ocean. Examination of the left engine revealed a failure of the front master rod bearing. Examination of the right engine revealed a failure of the aft master rod.
Factual narrative
On May 22, 1997, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Convair CV240, N355T, registered to TOL-AIR Services Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight, made a forced landing to the Atlantic Ocean next to a beach in the vicinity of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot-in-command (PIC), airline transport-rated first officer (FO), and a pilot-rated passenger on the jump seat reported no injuries. The flight originated from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, about 20 minutes before the accident.
The PIC stated they were in cruise flight at 3,000 feet with the FO flying the airplane when the left engine temperature indicated 100 degrees and the oil pressure started to fluctuate. The left engine was shut down as a precautionary measure and they informed ATC. As they were passing Fajardo, Puerto Rico, the right engine started banging, quit producing power, and the airplane started losing altitude. The PIC took over the flight controls and restarted the left engine. The airplane was at 500 feet and still descending. A Mayday call was made, and a forced landing was made to a beach coming to a complete stop in 5 feet of water.
Disassembly of left engine revealed a failure of the front master rod bearing. Disassembly of the right engine revealed a failure of the master rod resulting in a catastrophic failure of the power section. For additional information see the FAA Inspector's statement.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N355T
- Reported as
- Convair CV-240
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 281
- Airframe hours
- 14,239
- Engine
- P&W R-2800, 2,400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Tol-Air Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- AAIP · May 12, 1997 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- STT · St Thomas
- Destination
- SJU · PR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 29,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 17 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SJU, 20 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 1997, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 635 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.