Departure and Initial Climb
Flight 901A departed from the ramp in Vieques at approximately 0755. On board were eight passengers who had reserved seats and purchased tickets for Flight 901. During taxi to the takeoff end of runway 09, the pilot contacted the UNICOM operator, who reported no other traffic in the area. According to a mechanic at the airport, the airplane climbed out normally after takeoff.
Accident Sequence
As the airplane turned left in a crosswind departure pattern, it appeared to lose power when it reached about 200 feet above the ocean. The mechanic observed that the plane then gained approximately 50 feet while in a nose-high attitude. He then heard the engines develop more power, but shortly thereafter the airplane descended into the ocean. The crash occurred north of the departure end of runway 09, about half a mile offshore. The aircraft was destroyed, and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the accident was the failure of the pilot to properly execute the emergency engine-out procedure after a loss of power in the left engine, which was due to water in the airplane's fuel system. Additionally, the Puerto Rico Ports Authority failed to remove excess water known to be in the airport's in-ground fuel tank before conducting fueling operations. The pilot's failure was attributed to his inexperience in multi-engine airplanes. Contributing factors included the use of a pilot not certificated for the flight, inadequate training, failure to detect water in fuel tanks, an out-of-weight-and-balance condition, incorrect application of FAA regulations, and inadequate FAA surveillance.