Date:	Friday 2 December 1994
Time:	15:48
Type:	IRMA/Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander
Owner/operator:	Southern Cross Aviation
Registration:	N16VM
MSN:	2204
Year of manufacture:	1989
Engine model:	Lycoming IO-540-K1B5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	320 km NE off Majuro, Marshall Islands -   Pacific Ocean
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	Majuro-Amata Kabua International Airport (MAJ/PKMJ)
Destination airport:	Honolulu International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL)
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The aircraft was being operated as a flight of two on a ferry flight from the Marshall Islands to Honolulu. The airplane was equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks. About 2 hours after departure, while at an altitude of 7,000 feet msl, the accompanying airplane noticed smoke trailing from the left engine of the Islander. The two aircraft turned around and the pilot declared an emergency. The left engine of N16VM quit and the pilot feathered the propeller. The pilot was unable to maintain level flight and the aircraft was ditched in rough water and subsequently sank. The pilot was rescued about 20 hours afterwards.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "An undetermined failure of the left engine. The inability of the airplane to maintain level flight and exceeding the one-engine capability was a factor in the accident."

BAAA-ACRO
NTSB
Thomas Brügge
World Directory of Airliner Crashes

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