Cessna 337-H EC-IFR Ditched in the Sea Off Girona

Flight Overview and Incident Sequence On Saturday, August 16, 2003, Cessna 337-H registration EC-IFR departed Girona Airport at 14:30 local time for a commercial general-aviation flight to spot tuna banks. The aircraft carried three people: the pilot in command, a co-pilot, and a fish observer. The flight proceeded normally for about four hours and 20 minutes while operating at approximately 1,000 feet. During a 45-degree left turn to follow a fish bank, the rear engine experienced a loss of power. After the aircraft was leveled and power was temporarily recovered, the rear engine stopped completely. The aircraft then descended and entered the sea at approximately 18:50 local time, about 40 nautical miles on the 090 radial from the Bagur VOR. ## Occupants and Survival The three occupants had time during the descent to prepare survival equipment. At low altitude, they deployed the life raft, inflated it, and boarded in the following order: observer, co-pilot, and pilot. The raft was equipped for six people. They transmitted their emergency situation and position twice on 121.5 MHz but received no response. After about 1 hour and 15 minutes in the water, they saw another aircraft and fired a flare. The aircraft located them and made turns overhead to indicate contact. About 10 minutes later, around 20:20 local time, three tuna boats arrived, and one rescued them and took them to the French port of Port Vendre. No injuries were reported. ## Aircraft, Maintenance, and Operational Data The Cessna 337-H is a twin-engine aircraft with engines mounted at the front and rear of the fuselage. EC-IFR was built in 1978, serial number 337-01846, and was equipped with two Teledyne Continental Motors engines: an IO-360-G1B and an IO-360-G2B, with MC Cauley propellers. Its airworthiness certificate was valid until June 26, 2004, and its last renewal was June 27, 2003. The aircraft had 3,504:35 total hours, and the engines had 454:35 total hours. The last maintenance inspection was performed on July 29, 2003, 17 days before the accident, at 3,489:15 aircraft hours and 439:15 engine hours. The aircraft was not recovered, so damage could not be assessed; it sank to a depth of approximately 1,000 meters. ## Pilot Experience and Flight Details The pilot in command was 26 years old, Spanish, and held a commercial pilot license with multi-engine piston and instrument ratings valid until February 17, 2004. He had 1,200 total flight hours, including 735 hours on the type. In the 90 days before the accident, he had 138:10 hours; in the last 60 days, 26:05 hours; and in the last 30 days, 17:05 hours. The reduced activity in the last 60 days was due to no flights from June 20 to August 8. All flights of EC-IFR from August 11 through the accident were under the same pilot. On the day of the accident, the pilot had flown EC-IFR from 08:10 to 13:05. ## Weather, Radar, and Rescue Coordination Pre-flight weather information indicated no clouds, no significant weather, 30 °C, CAVOK visibility, and no wind gusts. At the accident location, the National Meteorological Institute reported scattered low clouds, good visibility, a 5-knot southeast wind at 1,000 feet, and 28 °C at 1,000 feet. Barcelona ACC radar showed the aircraft over the eastern area of the Bagur VOR between 10 and 30 nautical miles, maintaining 1,000 feet. The last radar track was at 18:37:24, when the aircraft was at 300 feet and 18 nautical miles from the 081 radial of Bagur. The aircraft made no calls to Barcelona ACC. Girona Tower’s last communication with EC-IFR was at 14:46 over Bagur. At 19:40, Girona Tower contacted Barcelona ACC asking about EC-IFR. At 20:07, aircraft EC-GPQ contacted Girona Tower reporting the accident and that the crew was safe. At 20:12, Girona Tower notified Barcelona ACC of the accident. At nearly the same time the occupants were rescued, Girona Airport operations informed RCC Baleares of the ditching; RCC intervention was not needed because the crew was already being rescued.