While it is not yet known if an engine failure was the cause of this accident, it is worth remembering that any delay before feathering the prop in a turbo prop aircraft means the drag from the windmilling prop is so great that airspeed and directional control would be lost in seconds. The DC3 has very small rudder pedals close together and it is not easy to apply full rudder especially against the drag from a windmilling prop.
In a similar accident many years ago in Australia where a piston powered DC-3 had a total engine failure at 200 feet after take off over water, the investigation found the PF used insufficient rudder against the windmilling prop and then applied almost full aileron to aid directional control until ditching a few seconds later. The full aileron caused significant drag. The initial combination of windmilling prop, less than optimum rudder and airspeed and full aileron, meant the DC-3 was never able to climb because of the amount of the drag involved. The captain feathered the propeller which stopped several degrees before the fully feathered position. By then its drag had reduced considerably. Fortunately, in the case of the ditching, everyone (27 people?) got out without serious injuries as the water was shallow.
Last edited by Centaurus; 24th Jan 2019 at 03:45.