Pilot and passengers walked away from ditched plane after engine caught ablaze

Pilot and passengers walked away from ditched plane after engine caught ablaze

AAIA: Probable cause of accident a “catastrophic failure” of a cylinder of the left engine

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A 57-year-old pilot of a Piper Aztec PA-23-250 aircraft with two passengers onboard successfully navigated the small plane, which had its left engine ablaze and inoperable, to shallow waters off Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, where the aircraft was ditched, according to an Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) report.

The accident took place on March 21, 2020, during the onset of the first state of emergency in The Bahamas as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The report was completed on Monday.

According to the AAIA’s report, the private flight with US registration N14178 departed North Eleuthera International Airport and was en route to New Bight Airport, Cat Island, around 1.50pm.

There were two passengers and the pilot onboard.

The pilot reported that soon after departing Eleuthera and while climbing to an altitude of 12,000 feet, his attention was drawn to the fuel flow indicator in the aircraft after the “left engine started running a lil’ rough”.

According to the report, the left engine roughness was followed by the sound of a “bang” and a subsequent “much louder bang”, followed with flames observed coming from the inboard left engine cowling closest to the pilot.

“During the post-accident interview, the pilot stated that he secured the left engine by shutting off power and fuel supply and attempted to join the right downwind pattern for runway 07 at MYEH (North Eleuthera International Airport),” read the report.

The change in direction toward the airport made the fire more intense, however.

“…And realizing he would be unable to return to the field, he sought a beach closest to his position where he could land the aircraft safely,” the report continued.

“Once a beach was located, the pilot executed a landing in the shallow waters approximately 250 feet from the shorelines in the Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, settlement.

After successfully ditching the aircraft, the pilot and both passengers were able to exit the plane in waist-deep waters and proceeded to the shore, where they were assisted by location authorities and concerned citizens, according to the report.

The ditching occurred approximately two nautical miles from the threshold on Runway 07 at MYEH.

The aircraft sustained substantial damage as a result of the engine fire and the impact of the ditching in shallow waters.

A team of investigators was dispatched to the scene on March 22.

An initial assessment uncovered a catastrophic cylinder failure on the left engine, which “may have been the initial cause of the engine fire”.

Further analysis following the recovery of the aircraft showed a failure of the connecting rod assembly. A further assessment was performed by the manufacturer, though parts of the left engine were corroded due to the submersion in saltwater.

Trimmed portions of failed connecting rod bolt arranged closer together to allow for the viewing of general shape and shear lips

The state of the emergency that existed in The Bahamas during the time of the arrangement for further analysis of the engine delayed transportation to the United States.

There were also delays due to COVID-19 protocols in the US.

The AAIA determined that the probable cause of the accident was a catastrophic failure of the #3 cylinder of the left engine that severed the fuel line in an inflight fire, which led to the ditching of the aircraft.

An examination of the broken connecting rod bolt fractured surface revealed “ductile dimples and the absence of any identifiable fatigue features, indicating the bolt likely failed due to sudden overload, as a result of the intact connecting rod bolt rocking back and forth within the connecting rod”.

It was determined that weather was not a factor in the accident.

About Royston Jones Jr.

Royston Jones Jr. is a senior digital reporter and occasional TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. Since joining Eyewitness News as a digital reporter in 2018, he has done both digital and broadcast reporting, notably providing the electoral analysis for Eyewitness News’ inaugural election night coverage, “Decision Now 2021”.