Hawaiian Island Air Taxi Ditching After Compressor Turbine Blade Fractures (N687MA)

Flight and Emergency Ditching An airline transport pilot was operating an air taxi commuter flight between two Hawaiian islands with eight passengers aboard. Several passengers reported that no preflight safety briefing was given. One passenger said the pilot asked how many had flown that morning and then said, “you know the procedures.” Shortly after takeoff and passing through about 500 feet over water, the pilot heard a loud “bang” and experienced a total loss of engine power. He attempted to return to the airport but determined the airplane could not reach land and ditched in the ocean. All occupants exited the aircraft uneventfully. One passenger swam to shore, and rescue personnel recovered the pilot and the other seven passengers from the water about 80 minutes after the ditching. One passenger died before rescue personnel arrived.