LAX90LA075

Factual narrative

THE PLT WAS RECEIVING RADAR ADVISORIES FROM LAX TRACON. HE REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PLT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE RESCUED BY A FISHING BOAT BEFORE THE AIRPLANE SANK. NEITHER THE AIRPLANE NOR THE ENGINE WAS RECOVERED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE POWER LOSS APPEARED TO BE FUEL RELATED. THE AIRPLANE HAD 31 GALLONS OF FUEL WHEN IT DEPARTED AND WAS ABOUT 12 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED DUE TO A PROP STRIKE. IT HAD BEEN REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. AN OVERHAULED ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS ALSO INSTALLED AT THE TIME THE ENGINE WAS REINSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE ACCRUED ABOUT 31 FLIGHT HOURS SINCE THE ENGINE WAS REINSTALLED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12