What happened
Shortly after taking off from St John on route 4ANC to Christiansted, the aircraft experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines. In response to the dual engine failure, the flight crew initiated a descent to lower their altitude and prepared for an emergency ditching in the ocean.
The amphibian successfully reached the water, landing in turbulent sea conditions approximately two miles northeast of Frenchmans Cap, which is situated about four miles southeast of Red Hook on the eastern side of St Thomas Island. While all seven passengers were safely recovered from the wreckage, the incident resulted in two fatalities involving the pilots.
Findings
The investigation determined that the loss of power to both engines was caused by improper positioning of the fuel selector, which had been left between the two available fuel tanks.