# NTSB NYC85LA013: De Havilland DHC-4, N5488R, Sable Island Ns, Canada, October 23, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 23, 1984, 03:07 local (07:07 UTC)
- Place: Sable Island Ns, Canada
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35637
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC85LA013
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35637/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC85LA013

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - preflight planning/preparation - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor)
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command
  - anxiety/apprehension, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - fluid,fuel - exhaustion
  - fuel consumption calculations - inaccurate, pilot in command (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- Ditching, landing
  - terrain condition - water,rough

## Analysis

PLT DITCHED ACFT IN ATLANTIC OCEAN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. CO-PILOT STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF BAD WX ALONG THE ROUTE BUT THE PLT WAS ANXIOUS TO GET TO THEIR DESTINATION. HEADWINDS ENCOUNTERED EN ROUTE WERE STRONGER THEN EXPECTED. CO-PILOT STATED THEY HAD SHUT DOWN ONE OF THE ENGINES APRX 1/2 HOUR BEFORE THE DITCHING IN AN EFFORT TO CONSERVE FUEL.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5488R (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DE HAVILLAND DHC-4
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 216
- Airframe hours: 4500
- Engines: P&W R-2000-7M2 1200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Registered owner: Newcal Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Annual, October 22, 1984
- Departed: SANTA MARIA
- Destination: TEB, TETERBORO, NJ
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: unknown, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 50,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 14 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 10 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: YYT

## 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 19841023070479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19841023070479A), Oct 23, 1984: Dhav DHC4A, Nova Scotia, CN, Destroyed. Got off course flying from the azores to st john, newfoundland. Ran out of fuel, ditched. Pilot missing.

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.

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