On January 3, 1983, a Cessna 340A (registration N1947E) operated by L. F. Anderson was involved in an aviation accident near Monterey, CA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft experienced power loss at 400 ft after takeoff and ditched off shore. All four occupants exited with minor injuries. The line attendant mistakenly added Jet A fuel.
Incident Overview
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft began to lose power at approximately 400 feet above ground level. The pilot elected to land along the shoreline and ditched the aircraft about 100 yards offshore in the ocean. All four occupants were able to exit through the airstair door and sustained only minor injuries.
Post-Ditching Sequence
The aircraft sank after about five minutes and was not recovered from 27-foot-deep water. Two occupants swam ashore, while the other two were rescued by the Coast Guard.
Fueling Error
Investigation revealed that the line attendant who serviced the aircraft mistook it for a King Air. The pilot had requested that all four fuel tanks be topped off. The line attendant added 110 gallons of Jet A fuel to the aircraft.