What happened
A long-duration ferry flight, intended to last 17 hours, began with the aircraft exceeding its maximum takeoff weight. During the early stages of the mission, the crew encountered and subsequently resolved issues regarding the fuel system. While the crew initially reported that wind conditions were consistent with meteorological forecasts, a significant complication arose approximately six hours before reaching the destination.
The crew discovered that the fuel from the ferry tanks was failing to flow into the primary main tanks as intended. In an attempt to manage the situation, the crew initiated a manual transfer of fuel from the rear ferry tank to the forward ferry tank. They also deactivated the right engine in an effort to decrease the overall rate of fuel consumption. Despite these actions, the lack of fuel flow into the main tanks persisted.
Ultimately, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft. At the time of the accident, it was estimated that approximately 170 gallons of fuel remained in the ferry tanks, with the majority of that volume located in the three aft tanks.
Findings
Investigations into the incident highlighted several critical factors. The aircraft was operating in an overweight condition for the duration of the flight. An analysis by an aero engineer determined that the aircraft's center of gravity was at least 10 inches behind the maximum allowable aft limit during the ditching phase. This imbalance was attributed to the failure to manage the ferry fuel system to maintain the center of gravity within safe operational limits, a process that was further complicated by the presence of cargo located in the rear fuselage.