San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín (Isla Verde)

The pilot stated that during cruise flight, the flight crew noticed that the left engine had high temperature and that its oil pressure started to fluctuate. A precautionary engine shutdown was performed. A short time later, the right engine started to fail, and the airplane would not maintain altitude. The left engine was restarted, but the flight crew could not maintain altitude. A forced landing was made on a beach; however, the airplane came to rest in 5 feet of water in the Atlantic Ocean. Examination of the left engine revealed a failure of the front master rod bearing. Examination of the right engine revealed a failure of the aft master rod.

At 1136 AST, the twin engine airplane departed San Juan, PR, on a flight to St Vincent. About 1208 AST, the pilot contacted ATC and indicated that he would like to divert to St Thomas. He informed the controller that he had 'feathered' the left engine due to loss of the left engine cowling, but he did not declare an emergency. He requested wind information for St Thomas, then at about 1613 AST, he changed his destination to Roosevelt Roads, PR. At 1120 AST, the pilot reported that the airplane was losing about 300'/min, then about 1 minute later, he said he was going to attempt an engine restart, and that the airplane was getting close to the water. A short time later, he informed ATC that he was not going to make it to shore. The pilot acknowledged info that search and rescue personnel were responding, then there was not further contact with the airplane. The airplane was located about 6 miles east of Roosevelt Roads NAS, but the pilot was not found. Review of weight and balance info revealed the pilot did not follow written procedures, and that the airplane exceeded the maximum authorized gross weight for take off. Flight crews had been informed of a communique from the manufacturer that there was no need to shut down an engine and feather the propeller unless engine performance or a major vibration problem confirmed the need.

After takeoff from runway 09, a climbing left turn was made. At about 1,000 feet, the #2 (right) engine backfired, emitted flames, and lost power. The captain instructed the copilot to feather the #2 propeller, which the copilot initiated with the feathering button. When the captain requested gear and flap extension, the copilot released the feathering button which did not remain engaged, contrary to system design. The airplane had arrived on a left downwind abeam the landing area at 500 feet and 95 to 100 knots. The captain turned toward the runway, then he ordered the gear and flaps to be retracted and initiated a go-around by increasing the left throttle without increasing propeller speed. A right turn was then made, and the airplane eventually crashed about 3 miles from the runway. During a postaccident examination, the propellers were found unfeathered, and the right engine fuel selector was in the main tank position. The emergency procedure listed the best single engine speed as 85 knots. The procedure for engine fire/failure was to feather the propeller and to move the respective fuel selector to 'OFF.' Examination revealed the number 11 cylinder on the right engine was cracked. There was evidence of fire, adjacent to the cylinder on the cowling, which consisted of scorching, sooting, and a burned through area of the underside of the right engine cowling. The copilot indicated a previous problem with the feathering system, but maintenance records did not contain any previous discrepancies regarding this anomaly.

Twenty minutes after takeoff from San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marin Airport, while in cruising altitude, a steward noticed smoke in the lavatory and informed the crew accordingly. In the meantime, the crew noticed a fire alarm in the cockpit, declared an emergency and became number one for landing at Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport. Following a normal approach and landing, the crew vacated the runway and parked the aircraft at gate A6. While the passengers was disemmarking, smoke spread in the cabin and fire erupted, destroying the airplane.

During the takeoff roll at Tortola-Terrance B. Lettsome Airport, the pilot-in-command considered the aircraft behaviour as unsatisfactory and decided to abort. Despite an emergency braking procedure, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest in the sea. All 30 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The captain of the airplane elected to take off on a three engine ferry flight without authorization. During the three engine climb out with the n°3 propeller feathered, the n°2 engine caught fire and he could not extinguish the fire. He attempted to return and during the descent the n°1 engine failed. He then intentionally ditched the airplane in the ocean, and received fatal injuries. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean and no determination of cause could be ascertained.

The crew of an all cargo flight experienced a failure of the left engine while in the traffic pattern at their destination. They raised the landing gear but failed to feather the left propeller and failed to trim the aircraft. The resulting skid and increased drag made further flight impossible. The crew elected to ditch the aircraft in a lagoon about 2 miles southwest of the airport. The aircraft was not recovered from the lagoon and therefore it was not determined why the left engine lost power. Both pilots escaped with minor injuries.

As the aircraft was taxiing for takeoff, witnesses noted the left rear baggage door was unlocked and hanging down. A warning was relayed to the pilot via the tower, but by then the aircraft was airborne and the pilot had reported a control problem. During lift-off, the aircraft pitched up sharply and entered an immediate right bank of about 45°. As the gear retracted, the bank angle decreased to about 20°. The aircraft was reported to yaw slightly from side to side and circle to the right while climbing to about 1,000 feet. A witness (in radio contact) asked the pilot about the problem; the pilot replied the controls (ctls) were locked to one side. On advice of others, the pilot tried to control the aircraft with engine power adjustments, but the aircraft lost altitude to about 200 feet agl. Subsequently, while maneuvering, it struck a tree, then hit a utility pole and crashed. During impact the lower fuselage, which housed the flight control linkages, was badly damaged. No preimpact mechanical problem was verified concerning the flight controls, autopilot or trim. A pilot, who had previously flown the aircraft with the baggage door open, said he experienced no adverse control problems. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft's climb performance began to deteriorate and the right engine started to overheat. Subsequently, the right engine was feathered and the crew attempted to return to the airport. The radio transmitter became unintelligible, so the tower personnel cleared the aircraft to land on runway 10 and asked the crew to key their mike twice, if they understood. The mike waskeyed twice. The aircraft entered a right downwind for runway 10 at a very low altitude. According to witnesses, the aircraft went into a steep bank as it was turning onto a base leg over water, the right wing tip hit the water and the aircraft cartwheeled and crashed. The copilot reported that after feathering the right engine, the vmc of 84 kts was maintained; however, he believed the aircraft stalled just prior to impact. A teardown of the right engine revealed the edge of the #8 piston and its piston rings had failed. Metal filings were found in the oil and the oil pump was scored. There was evidence of oil starvation to the crankshaft journal, as well as piston slap associated with the ring failure.

The aircraft crash landed during a touch and go landing. The pilot said that the aircraft was caught in a windshear or violent downdraft and would not climb. He did not say why he was doing a touch and go landing with 9 passengers on board. The pilots account of the accident was: after touchdown I raised the flaps and set takeoff power. At 103 knots and with 500 feet of runway remaining the aircraft was lifted off. At about 150 feet agl and climbing I started to raise landing gear but the aircraft started to sink so I left gear down. The trees were moving violently. I felt I was caught in a windshear because of a sharp drop in airspeed and the aircraft quit performing. The aircraft continued sinking and I decided on a controlled crash to save the passengers. A witness stated he (the pilot) took off without enough power. I saw the plane with its nose high and tail low and I lost the plane when it went into the trees. The aircraft hit several citrus trees at a shallow angle of descent 1,200 feet from the end of the runway. The aircraft went 150 feet through the trees and 350 feet on the ground before stopping. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured.