Piper PA-31-310 accident near St. Thomas, April 18, 2006
On April 18, 2006 at about 1:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N554DJ, was destroyed in an accident near St. Thomas (Cyril E. King airport). It was a public-use flight (state) under general aviation rules (Part 91). 7 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power in both engines for an unknown reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2006 · about 1:08 pm local time
- Place
- St. Thomas · Cyril E. King · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N554DJ · no longer on the register · serial 31-7612009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was making a public use flight between two islands for the purpose of transporting residents of a correctional facility to court hearings. During descent to the destination airport, at an altitude of approximately 1,400 feet, both engines started surging. The pilot's attempts to restore normal engine power were unsuccessful, and he ditched the airplane in ocean water with both engines still surging. The airplane stayed afloat as he and the passengers exited, and then it sank. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean, precluding its examination and determination of the reason for the dual loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,417 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 6,539 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TISX St. Croix at 12:50 pm
- Destination: TIST St. Thomas
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from TIST, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.