Pilot Ditched Aircraft in Atlantic Ocean After Fuel Exhaustion (N5488R)

Incident Overview and Outcome During a cruise flight over the Atlantic Ocean, an aircraft lost total engine power and the pilot was forced to ditch the aircraft in the water. The source reports that one pilot died in the incident, while the second pilot was rescued. The ditching occurred in rough water, as noted in the official findings for the landing phase of the operation. The aircraft type, registration, operator, date, and specific location were not provided in the source and are therefore not stated here. ## Copilot Account and Operational Factors According to the source, the copilot stated that the crew was aware of bad weather along the planned route, but the pilot was anxious to reach the destination. The copilot also stated that headwinds encountered en route were stronger than expected. To conserve fuel, the copilot stated that one engine had been shut down approximately one-half hour before the ditching. These statements are presented as part of the source’s account of the events leading to the loss of power. ## Official Findings and Probable Cause The official findings identify three occurrences: total loss of engine power during normal cruise, a forced landing during emergency descent, and a ditching during landing. Findings for the power-loss occurrence include rain, unfavorable wind, poor preflight planning/preparation by the pilot in command, poor judgment by the pilot in command, anxiety/apprehension by the pilot in command, fuel exhaustion, and inaccurate fuel consumption calculations by the pilot in command. The forced-landing occurrence is listed without additional findings. The ditching occurrence includes the finding of terrain condition—water, rough. The source does not provide a single consolidated probable-cause statement beyond the listed occurrences and findings.