On October 1, 1978, a Douglas DC-3 (registration N74Z) operated by Evergreen Air of Montana was involved in an aviation accident near Gulf of Mexico, World in flight. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft was ditched after the crew became lost and disoriented following the failure of the electrical system. A forced landing off airport on water was completed after the airplane became low on fuel. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
Aircraft en route from Miami to San Juan suffers major electrical failure, crew becomes lost and ditches in Gulf of Mexico. Merchant ship rescues three, one crew member killed.
Incident Overview
An aircraft traveling from Miami, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, experienced a major electrical failure en route. The crew lost their orientation and inadvertently flew westward over the Gulf of Mexico. With fuel running low, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft. The plane eventually crashed into the sea approximately 125 miles south of Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Rescue
The crew of the merchant ship 'St Mary' responded to the distress and was able to rescue three people from the water. One crew member was killed in the incident.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the aircraft was ditched after the crew became lost and disoriented following the failure of the electrical system. A forced landing off airport on water was completed after the airplane became low on fuel. The exact cause of the electrical failure could not be determined.
Probable cause
The aircraft was ditched after the crew became lost and disoriented following the failure of the electrical system. A forced landing off airport on water was completed after the airplane became low on fuel. The exact cause of the electrical failure could not be determined.