Flight Details
The accident flight was a return trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, following the delivery of U.S. Mail. The airplane carried no cargo at the time of the incident. The first officer was at the controls. Two passengers were aboard.
Engine Failure
The takeoff roll and rotation occurred uneventfully at 84 knots. When the landing gear was called to be retracted at about 100 feet above ground, the left engine's revolutions per minute (RPM) dropped from 2,700 to 1,000. The captain announced he would take control, confirmed the left engine had failed, and initiated the failed-engine checklist, including feathering the propeller.
Descent and Ditching Decision
The crew informed air traffic control of the situation and stated their intention to return for landing. However, the airplane could not maintain altitude, and airspeed decreased to approximately 75 knots. Recognizing that the airplane would not reach the airport, the captain instructed the two passengers to don life vests and prepare for a ditching. He then executed a controlled flight into the water.
Evacuation and Sinking
All four occupants exited the airplane through the cockpit overhead escape hatch onto a life raft. The airplane remained afloat for about ten minutes before sinking nose-first straight down. It came to rest on the ocean floor in about 100 feet of water. The airplane was not recovered.
Post-Accident Observations
Underwater photographs provided by the operator revealed the nose and cockpit area were caved in. The left engine's propeller was in the feathered position, while the right engine's propeller was in a low pitch position.