Narrative:
Fuel exhaustion forced the crew to ditch the aircraft, West of St. Maarten island.
PROBABLE CAUSE:
miscellaneous acts,conditions - fuel starvation
FACTORS:
miscellaneous acts,conditions - aircraft came to rest in water
complete power loss - complete engine failure/flameout-2 engines
Ditching
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 2 October 1971 |
| Time: | 13:10 AST |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-3A-228C |
| Operator: | Island Gem Enterprises |
| Registration: | N1981W |
| MSN: | 2232 |
| First flight: | 1940 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 32 km (20 mls) W off Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles ( Atlantic Ocean)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Saint Croix-Alexander Hamilton Airport (STX/TISX), U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport (SXM/TNCM), Sint Maarten |
Fuel exhaustion forced the crew to ditch the aircraft, West of St. Maarten island.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE:
miscellaneous acts,conditions - fuel starvation
FACTORS:
miscellaneous acts,conditions - aircraft came to rest in water
complete power loss - complete engine failure/flameout-2 engines
Classification:
Fuel exhaustionDitching
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Saint Croix-Alexander Hamilton Airport to Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport as the crow flies is 182 km (114 miles).
Distance from Saint Croix-Alexander Hamilton Airport to Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport as the crow flies is 182 km (114 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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