Date & Time:
Mar 1, 1989 at 1614 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
N28PR
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Basseterre - San Juan
MSN:
6323
YOM:
1943
Country:
Puerto Rico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
6467
Aircraft flight hours:
36115
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
The failure of the flight crew to feather the left propeller and trim the aircraft after the left engine stopped producing power for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:
N28PR.pdf89.35 KB
