2008 Cessna 310N ditching in the Atlantic Ocean (N5030Q)

Accident Overview and Flight Details On February 11, 2008, at approximately 1611 UTC, a 1968 Cessna 310N, registration N5030Q, was presumed to have sustained substantial damage after the pilot reported ditching in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 50 miles west of Keflavik, Iceland. The commercial pilot was presumed to be fatally injured. The aircraft was operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 ferry flight from Narsarsuaq Airport (BGBW), Greenland, to Reykjavik Airport (BIRK), Iceland, to transport the airplane from a seller in the United States to a purchaser in Bulgaria. Prior to the accident, the pilot detected an unsatisfactory magneto check during a preflight inspection. An aviation maintenance engineer replaced the left magneto on the left engine at Sept Iles Airport (CYZV) on February 9, 2008, and ran the engines on the ground. The aircraft was fueled with 298 liters of aviation gasoline at CYZV before departing for Goose Bay Airport (CYYR), where it was topped off with 183 liters on February 10, 2008. The pilot's flight plan from CYYR to BGBW indicated 5 hours of fuel onboard. In Greenland, the pilot stopped the refueling of the left main tank after 69 liters and instructed the lineman to fill both tip tanks and the right main tank to reach a total of 240 liters. The flight plan from BGBW to BIRK indicated 4 hours and 30 minutes of fuel onboard. The direct route between the two airports had a true course of 64 degrees and a distance of approximately 668 nautical miles. ## In-Flight Events and Communications At approximately 1540 UTC, the pilot reported an engine power loss to Icelandic air traffic control (ATC), stating the aircraft was operating on one engine due to fuel starvation and requested to change the flight plan to land at Keflavík International Airport (BIKF). ATC cleared the aircraft direct to BIKF. The pilot expressed uncertainty about reaching the airport. At 1545 UTC, the pilot reported descending and likely not reaching BIKF. At 1549 UTC, the pilot indicated that fuel transfer from left to right was not possible, most likely due to icing, and that reaching BIKF on remaining fuel would be tight. The pilot asked for weather information and stated it was unlikely he would make BIKF on the remaining usable fuel. ATC cleared the aircraft to descend at the pilot's discretion, and the pilot stated he would wait to descend as long as possible. At 1604 UTC, the pilot reported he would most likely not reach BIKF. Subsequently, the pilot reported losing power on both engines and descending. At 1609 UTC, the last transmission, “Go Reykjavik 3Q,” was received. Radar data showed the aircraft in a descent, with the last radar contact at approximately 1610 UTC, about 52.8 miles west of the Icelandic radar site at an altitude of 1,700 feet. ## Search and Recovery Efforts An Icelandic Coast Guard rescue helicopter was airborne at 1617 UTC and reached the last known position at 1702 UTC. A second helicopter arrived at 1750 UTC, and a Fokker F27 responded at 1815 UTC. Two aircraft and two helicopters searched the area, along with two smaller aircraft en route. The aircraft and pilot were not located. On March 8 and 9, 2023, fifteen years, one month, and 11 days after the loss, a fishing trawler about 51.5 nautical miles west of Keflavik Airport caught wreckage in its nets. The recovered items included an engine and propeller, an engine nacelle, left wing parts, a bag containing logbooks, and the pilot's remains. Examination of the propeller showed the hub and all three blades intact, with two blades near low pitch and one near feather angle. The blades were bent toward the face side, consistent with a propeller rotating with low rotational energy and impact with water. The engine was intact with heavy rust and barnacles. Wing and aileron damage was consistent with water impact. The wreckage was retained by the Safety Investigation Authority of Iceland, and no further search for the rest of the aircraft was conducted.