Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacific Ocean
Tuesady, June 18, 1991 19:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT LOST OIL PRESSURE IN THE NUMBER 2 ENGINE. FLIGHT COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED USING THE REMAINING ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE REMAINING ENGINE WOULD OVERHEAT WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED. THE CREW DESCENDED TO JUST ABOVE THE WATER AND TRIED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT IN GROUND EFFECT, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FLOODED, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SINK. THE CREW ESCAPED, BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO RETRIEVE EMERGENCY GEAR. THEY WERE RESCUED AFTER ABOUT 20 HOURS IN THE WATER. EVIDENCE REVEALED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A PILOT'S CERTIFICATE. NO EVIDENCE COULD BE FOUND TO INDICATE THAT THE PILOT HAD ANY EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT OR WITH ANY SEA PLANE. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT SANK, A CAUSE FOR THE ENGINE PROBLEMS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN IN THE WATER CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. LOSS OF POWER ON THE NUMBER 2 ENGINE AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF QUALIFICATIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1910
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACIFIC OCEAN
Event State PACIFIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 635
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44944
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7029C
NTSB Number LAX91LA266
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model HU-16E
Aircraft Series Identifier HU-16E
Aircraft Serial Number 99-7213
Certified Max Gross Weight 35400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PACIFIC FLYING FISH, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 333 SOUTH GRAND AVE. #3200
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90071
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PACIFIC FLYING FISH, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 333 SOUTH GRAND AVE. #3200
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90071
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SBA
Departure City SANTA BARBARA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 810
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHOG
Destination City MAUI
Destination State HI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --