Narrative:
The DC-3 had delivered mail to Saint Thomas (STT) and was prepared for positioning flight back to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first officer was flying the airplane. The takeoff roll and rotation at 84 knots was uneventful until about 100 feet above the ground when the gear was called out to be retracted. At that time, the left engine's rpm dropped from 1,800 to 1,000. The captain stated he communicated to the first office "I have the plane". The left engine's propeller was selected for feathering. The airplane would not maintain altitude and airspeed. He instructed the first officer to confirm that the gear was retracted. The captain knew the airplane would not make it back to the airport and instructed the passengers to don their life vests and prepare for a ditching. The aircraft was ditched in the ocean and remained afloat. All occupants exited the airplane into a life raft.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The airplane's inability to maintain altitude for undetermined reasons, following a loss of power from the left engine."
» N782T dive site off St Thomas
accident date: 19-07-2006
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: N782T
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 19 July 2006 |
| Time: | 07:20 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-3C |
| Operator: | Tol Air Services |
| Registration: | N782T |
| MSN: | 4382 |
| First flight: | 1942 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 32278 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92D |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 1,5 km (0.9 mls) W off Saint Thomas-Cyril E. King Airport (STT) ( U.S. Virgin Islands)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Saint Thomas-Cyril E. King Airport (STT/TIST), U.S. Virgin Islands |
| San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ), Puerto Rico |
The DC-3 had delivered mail to Saint Thomas (STT) and was prepared for positioning flight back to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The first officer was flying the airplane. The takeoff roll and rotation at 84 knots was uneventful until about 100 feet above the ground when the gear was called out to be retracted. At that time, the left engine's rpm dropped from 1,800 to 1,000. The captain stated he communicated to the first office "I have the plane". The left engine's propeller was selected for feathering. The airplane would not maintain altitude and airspeed. He instructed the first officer to confirm that the gear was retracted. The captain knew the airplane would not make it back to the airport and instructed the passengers to don their life vests and prepare for a ditching. The aircraft was ditched in the ocean and remained afloat. All occupants exited the airplane into a life raft.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The airplane's inability to maintain altitude for undetermined reasons, following a loss of power from the left engine."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Ditching
Sources:
» NTSB id. MIA06LA125» N782T dive site off St Thomas
Photos
accident date: 19-07-2006
type: Douglas DC-3C
registration: N782T
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 Saint Thomas-Cyril E. King Airport to San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport as the crow flies is 108 km (68 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Saint Thomas-Cyril E. King Airport to San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport as the crow flies is 108 km (68 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
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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