Incident Overview
While en route from Okinawa to the Philippine Islands, the No. 2 engine experienced a notable loss of power, followed by overspeeding of the propeller. The crew initiated emergency procedures but were unable to control or feather the propeller. Subsequently, the propeller separated from the engine, resulting in a fire in the nose section of the aircraft.
Emergency Response
The crew attempted to extinguish the fire using onboard fire suppression equipment, but these efforts were unsuccessful. With the fire continuing, the crew made the decision to ditch the aircraft in the ocean. The ditching was conducted at night during a rainstorm and while the aircraft was operating under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).
Evacuation and Casualties
All 58 occupants, including the 7 crew members, successfully evacuated the aircraft after the ditching. Of the survivors, 44 sustained minor injuries. One woman passenger died during the event.
Probable Cause
The official determination by the investigating board stated that the probable cause of this accident was the internal failure of No. 2 engine, resulting in oil contamination, loss of oil supply, subsequent loss of the No. 2 propeller assembly, and fire-in-flight, which necessitated a ditching.