Accident Overview
A seaplane on a flight from Charlotte Amalie to Christiansted experienced a failure of its right engine. The pilot feathered the propeller and later attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft then crashed into the Caribbean Sea off the coast of St. Croix Island. The airplane sank and was not recovered. Of the ten occupants, five passengers drowned, while five others were rescued.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be a powerplant failure for undetermined reasons. Several contributing factors were reported, including improper in-flight decisions, misuse or failure to use flaps, unfavorable wind conditions, rough water, and an unscheduled feathering of the right propeller for undetermined reasons.