Cessna 208A Caravan

It was determined that the engine failure was probably caused by the failure of a blade on the high-pressure compressor, possibly as a result of a manufacturing defect. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The crew failed to feather the propeller after the engine failure,
- The flaps were lowered at an angle that caused a speed reduction,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- The crew failed to follow strictly the checklist and missed certain points,
- The fact that the crew was flying under IFR mode at the time the engine failed aggravated the situation, making it difficult to carry out the planned procedures and ruling out an early choice of an emergency landing site,
- The poor visibility due to the night impeded a proper choice and planning of the emergency landing procedure.

It is believed that the pilot underestimated the weather conditions at destination and was unable to recover from a last sharp turn at low height.

The following causal factors were reported:
- The decision by the pilot to descend beneath the cloud layer.
- Illusions, created by the conditions, producing misleading visual references.
- The pilot's misidentification of distant terrain features.
- An undetected heading error, and loss of "positional awareness".
- Insufficient forward visibility, during the later stages of the descent.
- The high speed of the aircraft.
- The decision making by the pilot: the delayed decision to descend beneath the cloud layer; continued flight into deteriorating conditions.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot's familiarity with the area, creating a false sense of security.
- Improved general weather conditions, causing the pilot to relax.
- A possible false horizon, created by a sloping cloud base.
- The absence of documented procedures to ensure pilots crossed the coast south of Rarangi.

The following contributing factors were reported:
- The traffic and the high number of landings caused a natural fatigue by the instructor and reduced his appreciations,
- There were too much pilots under training for one single instructor,
- The copilot's experience was insufficient with only one hour on Cessna 208,
- Poor crew coordination,
- Poor crew action on engine power to expect recovery after stall.

The accident was the consequence of the following factors:
1) Adverse Weather Conditions - Contributed
Weather conditions were unfavorable at the destination location for visual flight. There was a layer of fog near the forest.
2) Poor Instruction - Contributed
The Commander was not qualified to fly that type of aircraft and was not instrument cleared.
3) Disabled Judge - Contributed
The pilots continued the flight, even knowing the adverse weather conditions at their destination.
4) Flight Indiscipline - Contributed
One of the pilots was not qualified to fly that aircraft and, in addition, there was intentional disobedience to the air traffic rules and regulations, regarding the non observance of the minimum IFR flight level in the industry.
5) Disabled Oversight - Contributed
There was poor oversight of the responsible company by letting an unqualified pilot operate the aircraft.
6) Weak Cabin Coordination - Contributed
IFR flight without complying with IMA 100-12 rules, conducted below the limits and outside the descent profile are indications that there was no planning/coordination in the operations performed in the cockpit.

The following findings were reported:
- There was a deficiency in the instruction received, since the crew did not perform emergency training on that type of aircraft, resulting in inadequate preparation for the engine failure situation, especially at low altitude,
- There are indications that the maintenance services were inadequate and contributed to the occurrence of engine failure, due to the possible occurrence of compressor stall,
- The company performed inadequate technical and operational oversight for not providing emergency situations for the crews of that type of aircraft involved in the accident.

The pilot failed to ensure that the landing gears are fully retracted before landing on water thereby causing the aircraft to flip on to its back as a result of abnormally high hydrodynamic drag generated on landing with landing gears remaining extended. Non-availability of the revised pilot's checklist, appropriate to the aircraft configuration and the practice adopted during conversion training of the pilot were the contributory factors.

Crashed in unknown circumstances after being hijacked.