What happened
While operating a flight from Charlotte Amalie to San Juan, an aircraft was cruising along the eastern coastline of Puerto Rico when the left engine experienced a failure. During the period when the crew was performing procedures to feather the propeller, the right engine also lost power. In response to the loss of propulsion, the pilot lowered the altitude and performed a ditching maneuver approximately 1,000 feet from the Río Grande district.
All five occupants were successfully rescued from the scene, though the aircraft subsequently sank into the water.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary cause of the incident was an engine malfunction and failure during the cruise phase due to the mismanagement of fuel. Specifically, the crew failed to monitor the fuel supply, leading to fuel starvation. The investigation noted several procedural lapses, including a failure to utilize checklists and a failure to follow approved emergency protocols.
Technical findings revealed that both fuel selectors had been set to the right main tank, which was empty, despite usable fuel being available in the left main tank. Additional contributing factors included inadequate preflight preparation, insufficient inspection of the aircraft, and a lack of adequate supervision for the flight crew.