Gooney Bird Chooses To Stay In Virgin Islands

Aero-News has learned a Four Star Air Cargo service DC-3 ditched into the sea on Wednesday, July 19 shortly after takeoff from Cyril E. King International Airport in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

The aircraft, which flies a mail transport route between San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International and the USVI, had just taken off enroute to Puerto Rico when it lost an engine and the crew was forced to set it down in the waters of the Caribbean Sea.

All four souls on board -- pilot, first officer and two passengers -- managed to board the aircraft's life raft and were picked up by a passing vessel, which then return them to shore for medical care. Of the three, only one suffered a minor injury, a cut to his head. All four are residents of Puerto Rico.

"We will of course cooperate with all the authorities in investigating this," said Richard Diamond, president and CEO of the St. Thomas-based cargo company, to the Associated Press.

The aircraft is lying under 70 feet of water, and no decision has been made as to the salvage of the aircraft, according to Mr. Diamond. The US Coast Guard plans to send a team to the site to determine if the plane poses any environmental threats, and both the FAA and NTSB are investigating.

**   Report created 7/21/2006   Record 3
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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 782T        Make/Model: DC3       Description: DC-3, DST ( C-41, C-47, C-47A to J, AC-4
  Date: 07/19/2006     Time: 1123

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: SAINT THOMAS   State:      Country: VI

DESCRIPTION
  N782T, A TOL AIR DOUGLAS DC3 ACFT, ON DEPARTURE, ONE ENGINE FAILED, AND
  ACFT DITCHED INTO THE OCEAN ONE MILE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE FOUR
  PERSONS ON BOARD WERE RESCUED, SAINT THOMAS, U S VIRGIN ISLANDS

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: 1130Z 14011 10SM SCT016 BKN060 29/24 3003

OTHER DATA

  Departed: SAINT THOMAS, USVI          Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: SAN JUAN, PR             Flt Plan: VFR          Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: SAN JUAN, PR  (SO21)                  Entry date: 07/20/2006

FMI: www.fourstaraircargo.com