What happened
During a scheduled ferry flight from Majuro, Marshall Islands, to Honolulu, Hawaii, the pilot encountered mechanical difficulties. Approximately two hours after departure, while the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the pilot contacted air traffic control to report problems with the engine. Due to the developing situation, the decision was made to abort the mission and return to the departure point in Majuro.
As the flight progressed, the aircraft was unable to sustain its required altitude. This loss of altitude forced the pilot to perform an emergency ditching in the ocean, roughly 320 km northeast of Majuro Atoll. Following the incident, another pilot operating a separate aircraft was able to relay the precise coordinates of the crash site to rescue services. The pilot was successfully rescued approximately 20 hours after the ditching occurred. The aircraft itself sank into the ocean and has not been recovered.
Findings
- The primary factor leading to the ditching was engine problems encountered during the cruise phase of the flight.