On May 8, 1994, a Britten-Norman Islander (registration CS-DAF) operated by ATA - Aerocondor Transportes Aéreos was involved in an aviation accident near Bragança, Portugal during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude following the shutdown of the right engine due to engine vibration. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
An aircraft traveling from Lisbon to Bragança was forced to perform an emergency landing on a road after experiencing significant engine vibration and subsequent failure.
What happened
While operating a flight from Lisbon to Bragança, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet through cloud cover when the crew detected vibrations originating from the right engine. Shortly after this discovery, the flight crew proceeded to shut down the affected engine and feathered the propeller to stabilize the aircraft.
Following the engine shutdown, the pilot found it impossible to sustain a safe flight altitude using only the remaining engine. Consequently, the decision was made to descend toward a nearby road to attempt an emergency landing. During the final approach, the aircraft collided with trees before crashing. There were four occupants on board, all of whom sustained slight injuries during the impact.
Findings
The right engine experienced mechanical vibrations during the cruise phase.
The inability to maintain altitude on a single engine necessitated a forced descent.
Probable cause
The crew was unable to maintain a safe altitude following the shutdown of the right engine due to engine vibration.