Successful Ditching in Bahamas

[Marsh Hawk]

I wanted to post this and share the story of a Piper Aztec's successful ditching in the waters of the Bahamas. In light of recent GA tragedy, it's good to hear about the guys that made it too.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...home-headlines

[mm_flynn]

Well done to the pilots for the successful ditching. It does demonstrate yet again that many engine failures are pilot induced and that twins don't fly any better with no fuel than singles

[FullyFlapped]

I must have missed something : how do you know this was "pilot induced" and not some sort of fuel leak ? I admit the most likely scenario is pilot error, but ... it seems strange, if the plane is at the bottom of the briny, and presumably never to be seen again, that they'd admit to cocking up the fuel load calculations ?

Just a thought ....

FF

[mm_flynn]

I believe an Aztec has 4 tanks (two per side) and on at least some versions only two gauges. A fuel leak in more than one tank would be surprising, particularly one that started sufficiently far into the flight to prevent a return or return with a ditching close enough to shore to have rescue crew much close than they were. A problem of a tank running dry much quicker than expected due to a leak, would hopefully be noticed relatively early and the pilots could respond with a Mayday, slowing to either best range (if they believed they could make land) or lowest fuel burn to stay aloft (maximise time in the air) and have the C-130 that came looking for them on site to watch the ditching, dump rafts and beacons if needed and keep sight until the helicopter arrived. All that kit wound up going out and hunting for them anyhow.

I admit I am speculating on the basis of a very thin news report, but both engines stopping in what appears short order is pretty likely to be fuel mismanagement or insufficient fuel.

[aardvark2zz]

This is probably the cay they got stranded.

22° 7'55.05"N 74°18'55.61"W

Usually it's bad fuel management like not knowing the absolute FOB, or not using the fuel valves properly. Only the final report will confirm the actual cause.

When I was flying the Bahamas I was told to watch out for situations where fuel is "permanently borrowed" by locals, and to do an absolute measurement of FOB just before TO.

[IO540]

What grabs my attention is that somebody was flying a 30-40 year old plane, over water, with apparently no liferaft.

[fernytickles]

So many assumptions.... how do you know they didn't have a life raft? How do you know the engines were 30 or 40 years old? etc, etc. Glad to hear they are ok, will await the report with interest.