Piper PA31-350 N4088G

Summary

On 3 May 1997 at about 17:26 local time, a Piper PA31-350 registered N4088G was involved in an accident near St Thomas. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 May 1997 at 17:26

Classification

Accident

Location

St Thomas

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA31-350

Registration

N4088G

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → St Johns

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA97LA155

Nobody was injured.

failure of the pilot to follow emergency procedures for loss of power in the right engine, by failing to shutdown the right engine and feather the right propeller. This resulted in the aircraft being unable to maintain altitude and a subsequent ditching in the sea. A related factor was the loss of right engine power for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The right engine began to surge, emit black smoke, and lose power shortly after takeoff. The pilot did not shutdown the engine or feather the propeller. The pilot stated that while turning to return to the airport, the aircraft almost stalled, and he lowered the nose and descended toward the sea. He was not able to maintain altitude, and the aircraft was ditched in the sea. Postcrash examination of the right engine showed no evidence to indicate the reason for the loss of power and black smoke emission.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.