1978 Guam Ditching: Starboard Engine Failure Leads to Water Landing (17152)

Incident Overview and Initial Flight Details The aircraft departed Agana at 0949 local time, bound for Ulithi Atoll. The flight carried a crew of five and 25 passengers, including officers and musicians traveling with their instruments. Approximately ten minutes after takeoff, while cruising southwest at 6,000 feet and 180 knots, the crew reported an oil leak on the right engine. At that time, the situation appeared to be under control. ## Engine Malfunction and Return to Base About an hour later, at 1046 local time, oil pressure began to fluctuate. The captain decided to return to Andersen Airbase. Fifteen minutes after that decision, the right engine was shut down and its propeller was feathered. The aircraft was then unable to maintain a safe altitude. ## Emergency Measures and Ditching The crew asked passengers to jettison cargo in an attempt to improve the aircraft's performance, but the airplane continued to lose height. The captain ultimately decided to ditch the aircraft approximately 13 kilometers southwest of the Guam Island coast. The aircraft landed in the water at 1141 local time and came to rest on the surface. ## Evacuation and Casualties The occupants evacuated the cabin and took refuge in dinghies. The aircraft sank about ten minutes after the water landing. Approximately one hour later, 28 people were evacuated, most of them injured. One passenger and the flight engineer drowned.