Accident Summary
On July 26, 2008, at about 17:23 Japan Standard Time, a privately owned Socata TB10, registered JA4106, ditched in Omura Bay approximately 200 meters east of Runway B at Nagasaki Airport. The aircraft was on a familiarization flight from Saga Airport to Nagasaki Airport and back. All three occupants were pilots. One died, another was seriously injured, and the third was slightly injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Flight History
The aircraft had departed Saga Airport at 15:38 on the outbound leg with the Captain, Pilot A, and Pilot B on board. It landed at Nagasaki Airport at 16:02. After a break of nearly an hour, the pilots conducted pre-flight inspections and an engine test run. The flight plan for the return leg specified visual flight rules, a departure time of 17:15, and a route via Takezaki to Saga Airport.
The Aircraft was cleared for takeoff from Runway 32 at 17:20 and began its takeoff roll, lifting off at 17:21. Shortly after lift-off, during a right turn, the Captain detected a burning plastic odor and saw brownish-white smoke entering the cockpit through the left air vent. Pilot B immediately took over the controls and contacted the tower controller, requesting clearance to land via the right downwind leg. The controller cleared the Aircraft to land at 17:22:30.
After entering the right downwind leg, the Aircraft began a right turn. The controller observed streaks of smoke from the rear and later a round mass of orange flames near the left side of the nose. The Aircraft descended and ditched. According to pilot statements, the engine and propeller continued rotating until ditching; no abnormal engine sounds or vibrations were noted. The smoke was not dense enough to block forward view.
Aftermath
Following the ditching, the Aircraft quickly sank. The Captain escaped, held onto floating wreckage, and waited for rescue; he was not a strong swimmer. Pilot A also escaped and attempted to swim toward the seawall but returned after about 7–8 meters and held onto wreckage, eventually being rescued by a person with a tethered life buoy about 30 minutes later. Pilot B was seen above the water surface but his condition after that is not described in the source. One occupant died; the source does not specify which pilot.