Dodita Air Cargo

The copilot stated that the pre-flight and run-up before takeoff were performed with no discrepancies noted. After leveling off at 5,500 feet they noticed that the right engine cylinder head temperature and oil temperature was about 10 degrees above the normal parameter for that engine. Shortly after, both pilot's noticed a sharp decrease in the right engine mean effective pressure followed by vibration in the engine. The co-pilot looked at the right engine and informed the pilot that it was on fire around the front lower cylinders. Attempts by the pilot to extinguish the engine fire were unsuccessful. The pilot advised Air Traffic Control of their intention to ditch due to the right engine uncontrolled fire. The co-pilot, handed a life jacket to the pilot and then put his on. The pilot placed his life preserver to the side and did not put it on. While descending the co-pilot opened his side window, but the pilot did not. According to the co-pilot, shortly before ditching the pilot requested 10-degrees of flaps but the flaps did not move. Both pilots were at the controls of the airplane for the ditching. A review of maintenance records revealed that the right engine was installed on the airframe on May 14, 2003 at 45,660.5 hours total airframe time. A complete "C" Check was accomplished on June 15, 2004 at a total time of 45,741.8 hours with no discrepancies noted. The airplane ditched into the Caribbean Ocean 29 miles southeast of Beef Island, Virgin Islands, in an undetermined depth of water, neither the pilot or the airplane wreckage was recovered.

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.

About two minutes into the flight, the pilot noticed a high cylinder head temperature on the right engine. The pilot opened the cowl flap doors and the cylinder head temperature dropped 200 degrees. When the pilot noticed a reduction in right engine power, he elected to shut down the engine. The copilot was instructed to secure the right engine in accordance with the emergency procedures. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot selected an emergency landing to a large open field, and the landing gear collapsed during the landing. Examination of the airplane at the accident site disclosed that the engine cowl flaps on both engines were in the open position. Examinations of the right engine subsystems failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. A review of the normal and emergency procedures for the aircraft disclosed that the cowl flaps normal position for the shutdown engine is closed. A review of the aircraft performance data revealed that the airplane was capable of maintaining flight and a climb attitude with one engine. There was no cargo on the airplane. During the pilot's subsequent type rating reexamination in the Convair 240-27, the pilot failed to demonstrate a satisfactory level of knowledge in emergency procedures during the oral examination. The pilot subsequently surrendered the Convair 240-27 type rating to the FAA.