What happened
On a mission involving search and rescue operations for a missing US Navy UC-1 Otter, the crew departed from Patuxent River NAS with the intention of traveling to Antarctica. During the flight toward the coast of Venezuela, the aircraft's right engine experienced a failure. In response to this malfunction, the captain attempted to divert the plane to Piarco Airport in Trinidad & Tobago.
Shortly after the initial engine loss, the left engine also failed. Approximately 15 miles from the coastline, the pilot determined that reaching the shore was necessary and proceeded toward the land. The aircraft eventually performed an emergency landing in a remote, unpopulated region within the northern part of Delta Amacuro. Upon impact with the ground, the plane hit trees, which caused both wings to detach and the fuselage to break into two pieces. Despite the severity of the crash, all eight crew members were successfully rescued and evacuated from the site.
Findings
- The aircraft suffered a total loss of power due to the failure of both engines during the flight phase.