No fatalities

Aircraft Ditches off Pacific Grove After Both Engines Fail Due to Fuel Starvation (N2611C)

Pacific Grove, United States of AmericaFlight

On December 3, 1981, a Cessna 402 (registration N2611C) operated by Traid-a-Plane was involved in an aviation accident near Pacific Grove, United States of America in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: engine failure in normal cruise due to fuel starvation for undetermined reasons. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

Both engines failed on a flight from Oakland to Honolulu due to fuel starvation for undetermined reasons. The pilot ditched the aircraft off Pacific Grove and was rescued; the aircraft sank and was lost.

Accident Overview

An aircraft en route from Oakland, California to Honolulu, Hawaii experienced failure of both engines during normal cruise flight. The pilot responded by reducing altitude and executing a forced landing by ditching the aircraft in the water off Pacific Grove, California. Following the ditching, the pilot was rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost.

Probable Cause

The official probable cause determined by the investigation was engine failure in normal cruise due to fuel starvation for undetermined reasons.

Contributing Factors

The investigation reported several contributing factors to the accident. These included fuel starvation, which led to the complete failure of both engines. The forced landing was conducted off airport on water. Additionally, the aircraft was equipped with a ferry fuel system, and the investigation noted high fuel consumption as a contributing factor.