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Four-Engine Aircraft Ditches After All Engines Stop During Night Ferry Flight (N19D)

Pacific Ocean, WorldFlight

On March 29, 1972, a De Havilland DH.114 Heron (registration N19D) operated by Air Pacific was involved in an aviation accident near Pacific Ocean, World in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the crew who miscalculated the fuel consumption and the flight time to check point. The following factors were reported: - The crew became lost and disoriented. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N19D
Aircraft registered N19D. Photo: Steve Williams / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

All four engines on a ferry flight from San Francisco to Hilo stopped simultaneously during night cruise. The crew ditched the aircraft about 219 miles off Hawaii; both pilots were rescued before the aircraft sank.

Incident

During a night ferry flight from San Francisco, California, to Hilo, Hawaii, all four engines of the aircraft stopped simultaneously. The crew contacted air traffic control to report their position and then executed a ditching maneuver. The aircraft came to rest in the water approximately 219 miles off the Hawaiian coast.

Rescue

Both pilots were rescued and evacuated from the scene. The aircraft subsequently sank and was lost.

Probable Cause

According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the engine stoppage was inadequate preflight preparation by the crew, who miscalculated fuel consumption and the flight time to the check point. Contributing factors reported included the crew becoming lost and disoriented.

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