Accident Overview
On a flight from Port Blair to Dugong Creek, then to Hut Bay, and back to Port Blair, a Cessna 208 Caravan (registration VT-AAN) operated by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration crash-landed on seawater adjacent to Viper Island. The aircraft had four persons on board, including the pilot-in-command. The leg from Dugong Creek to Hut Bay was uneventful. After takeoff from Hut Bay, the aircraft intended to land on the sea near Viper Island. Immediately after touchdown on the water, the aircraft flipped over onto its nose and subsequently sank.
Occupant Outcome and Damage
Three persons, including the pilot, successfully evacuated the aircraft. One person remained strapped in their seat and died due to drowning. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. No fire occurred.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was that the pilot failed to ensure the landing gears were fully retracted before landing on water. This resulted in abnormally high hydrodynamic drag, causing the aircraft to flip onto its back. Contributory factors included the non-availability of the revised pilot's checklist appropriate to the aircraft configuration and the practice adopted during the pilot's conversion training.