Narrative:
The aircraft was being operated as a flight of two on a ferry flight from the Marshall Islands to Honolulu. The airplane was equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks. About 2 hours after departure, while at an altitude of 7,000 feet msl, the accompanying airplane noticed smoke trailing from the left engine of the Islander. The two aircraft turned around and the pilot declared an emergency. The left engine of N16VM quit and the pilot feathered the propeller. The pilot was unable to maintain level flight and the aircraft was ditched in rough water and subsequently sank. The pilot was rescued about 20 hours afterwards.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An undetermined failure of the left engine. The inability of the airplane to maintain level flight and exceeding the one-engine capability was a factor in the accident."
» NTSB
» Thomas Brügge
» World Directory of Airliner Crashes
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 2 December 1994 |
| Time: | 15:48 |
| Type: |  IRMA/Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander |
| Operating for: | Southern Cross Aviation |
| Leased from: | Trans Island Air |
| Registration: | N16VM |
| MSN: | 2204 |
| First flight: | 1989-03-02 (5 years 9 months) |
| Engines: | 2 Lycoming IO-540-K1B5 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 320 km (200 mls) NE off Majuro, Marshall Islands ( Pacific Ocean)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Majuro-Amata Kabua International Airport (MAJ/PKMJ), Marshall Islands |
| Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL), United States of America |
The aircraft was being operated as a flight of two on a ferry flight from the Marshall Islands to Honolulu. The airplane was equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks. About 2 hours after departure, while at an altitude of 7,000 feet msl, the accompanying airplane noticed smoke trailing from the left engine of the Islander. The two aircraft turned around and the pilot declared an emergency. The left engine of N16VM quit and the pilot feathered the propeller. The pilot was unable to maintain level flight and the aircraft was ditched in rough water and subsequently sank. The pilot was rescued about 20 hours afterwards.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An undetermined failure of the left engine. The inability of the airplane to maintain level flight and exceeding the one-engine capability was a factor in the accident."
Classification:
Ditching
Sources:
» BAAA-ACRO» NTSB
» Thomas Brügge
» World Directory of Airliner Crashes
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Majuro-Amata Kabua International Airport to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 3649 km (2281 miles).
Distance from Majuro-Amata Kabua International Airport to Honolulu International Airport, HI as the crow flies is 3649 km (2281 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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