What happened
On the morning of the accident, a DC-3 operated by South Pacific Airmotive Pty Ltd was performing a chartered flight from Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport to Norfolk Island, with a planned refueling stop at Lord Howe Island. The flight was carrying 21 passengers, two pilots, a supernumerary pilot, and a flight attendant. The aircraft was operating under the Air Operators Certificate of Groupair.
After receiving clearance to takeoff at 0907:53, the aircraft began its departure roll. The crew reported that all engine parameters appeared normal during the takeoff phase, and the aircraft rotated at 81 knots. However, as the aircraft reached an altitude of approximately 200 feet and the landing gear was in the process of retracting, the crew heard several popping noises. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft began to yaw to the left. At 0909:04, the pilot in command notified the tower of an issue, as the co-pilot identified a malfunction in the left engine.
In an attempt to manage the failure, the pilot in command reduced power to the left engine and initiated propeller feathering while maintaining maximum power on the right engine. Despite these efforts, the aircraft's airspeed dropped below the required 81 knots. The crew utilized significant right aileron and rudder inputs to counteract the leftward drift, but the aircraft could not maintain altitude. Recognizing that a safe climb was no longer possible, the pilot in command took control and notified the tower of an intention to ditch the aircraft at 0909:38. The aircraft entered the water near the southern end of the partially constructed runway 16L approximately 46 seconds after the initial distress call.
All 21 passengers and 4 crew members evacuated the aircraft before it submerged. While most individuals were transferred to shore via pleasure craft and released from medical care later that day, the flight attendant sustained serious injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a left engine malfunction during the initial climb phase.
- The loss of engine performance led to a decay in airspeed below the necessary threshold for single-engine flight.
- The aircraft was unable to maintain altitude, necessitating an emergency ditching.