The pilot, Robert Mansell, elected to continue the flight to Bonaire on the remaining engine and at approximately 24 nautical miles (44 km) west of Bonaire, the pilot contacted Flamingo Tower and informed the controller that he was flying on one engine.

Following the engine failure the aircraft started to lose altitude at a rate of about 200 feet per minute until it impacted the water at a position approximately 0.5 nmi (930 m) south of Klein Bonaire and 3 nmi (5.6 km) west of the main island at time 10:17.

Moments before the ditching Mansell looked into the cabin and gave the thumbs up to the passengers, checking that their life vests were on.

During the ditching, at impact with the water surface, the cockpit door and left main landing gear were detached from the aircraft.

The passengers reported that after the ditching, the pilot was injured and appeared to be unconscious as he did not try to remove himself from the aeroplane.