Oceanic ditching of aircraft following engine failure

No fatalities • Hilo, United States of America • Flight

A crew successfully performed an emergency ditching in the Pacific Ocean after an engine malfunction led to a loss of power and subsequent overheating.

What happened

While conducting an oceanic ferry flight, the aircraft experienced a significant mechanical failure involving the right engine. Specifically, the engine developed issues with the magnetos, which severely limited the amount of power the engine could produce.

In an attempt to maintain flight, the pilot increased the power setting on the remaining left engine. However, this adjustment caused the left engine to begin overheating shortly after the power increase. Faced with the loss of one engine and the imminent overheating of the second, the pilot decided to perform an emergency ditching in the Pacific Ocean.

Findings

  • The primary issue originated from magneto malfunctions in the right engine.
  • The loss of power from the right engine forced an increased workload on the left engine.
  • The overheating of the left engine necessitated the immediate descent and ditching procedure.

Probable cause

The engine failure was caused by magneto malfunctions on the right engine, which subsequently led to the overheating of the remaining engine.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1993-10-13 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo accident near Hilo, United States of America?

A crew successfully performed an emergency ditching in the Pacific Ocean after an engine malfunction led to a loss of power and subsequent overheating.

Were there any fatalities in the 1993-10-13 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1993-10-13 involved a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, registration N7079J, operated by Flight Contract Services, at Hilo, United States of America.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The engine failure was caused by magneto malfunctions on the right engine, which subsequently led to the overheating of the remaining engine.

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