What happened
On the morning of January 5, 2022, a Cessna 402B, registered as N145TT, departed Opa Locka Executive Airport in Florida, bound for Chub Cay International Airport in the Bahamas. The aircraft, operated by Airway Air Charter INC, was carrying two occupants. During the descent into the Berry Islands, at an altitude of approximately 2,500 feet, the pilot reported that the left engine began to sputter.
In an attempt to address the issue, the pilot performed engine failure procedures from memory, which included switching the fuel selector from the main tank to the auxiliary tank. Shortly after, as the aircraft descended through 1,000 feet, the right engine also began to sputter. Following the loss of power to both engines, the aircraft impacted the water approximately 4.48 NM west of Chub Cay Airport. Both occupants were rescued by local and international maritime assets and later received medical treatment in the United States for minor injuries.
The investigation
The investigation conducted by the AAIA focused on the sequence of events and the aircraft's mechanical state. Because the wreckage was located in deep water, a physical recovery and component testing were not possible. Investigators instead reviewed maintenance logs, air traffic control records, and the pilot's written account.
Maintenance records indicated that the CessNA 402B had been maintained according to regulations, and there was no evidence of prior mechanical irregularities or airframe failure. The investigation also noted that while 66.5 gallons of fuel had been added to the main tanks prior to departure, there was no record of fuel being added to the auxiliary tanks. The investigation also examined the pilot's use of the engine failure checklist and the specific fuel selector movements made during the emergency.
Findings
- The primary cause of the dual engine failure was a system component failure within the powerplant.
- The pilot's emergency actions were not consistent with the procedures outlined in the Pilot'ering Operating Handbook (POH).
- The loss of engine power was exacerbated by the mismanagement of available fuel.
- Specifically, the pilot's decision to switch the fuel selector to the auxiliary tanks—which may have contained insufficient or unusable fuel—contributed to the dual engine failure.
- Weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear and were not a factor in the crash.