Skymaster Crash in Florida?

[hharney]

Not the first issue

Hurricane Wilma in 2005

Number 6 in the P line - early

[bjherron]

interesting how it looks like that same section of wing is broken off underwater.

Brian

[Ernie Martin]

I haven't been able to find an NTSB preliminary report on this accident. I am puzzled by the event. He was very near two airports (Homestead Air Reserve Base and Ocean Reef) and apparently couldn't keep the airplane flying. Failed to feather? Overloaded? Had the gear down during the flight or put it down too early as he approached an airport? Panicked?

If someone finds the prelim, please post a link.

Ernie

[scade]

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/br...25X51835&key=1

[Skymaster337B]

Just read the preliminary report. There's a whole lot that doesn't make sense. I've investigated mishaps before, and I must say that this one seems too unique.

[hharney]

At 900 feet you don't really have a lot of time to be losing a little altitude. If the plane was fairly loaded, the rear engine didn't get feathered, as it was trying to be restarted rather than shut down. There was not much time or altitude to be able to attempt a restart. Maybe the front engine was not developing full power either but because of all the distractions with the rear engine and the front was still operating it was not noticeable. The choice to put it down was probably good while there was still control of some kind. The only hiccup might be that the gear was extended but on the other hand this may have been a blessing in disguise because now they are in a low wing the it may have floated a little longer. Hey, they all walked away. That's the most important part.

I say the report makes perfect sense. It may not be the best situation and decisions but the report makes sense.

[Ernie Martin]

I fly mostly over water and have lost 2 engines over water, one at about the same altitude, one at 2,000 feet. Sightseeing, at low altitude, with 4 people on board, it's easy to be nervous and try to start the rear engine. With the benefit of hindsight, it seems to me that if he had feathered the rear prop promptly he would have made it to one of the two nearby airports. In the map shown below I have put boxes around Key Biscayne (near where the rear engine failed), the ditching area, and the two airports.

Ernie