Narrative:

During scheduled (overflow) flight over ocean, our aircraft suffered a catastrophic engine failure. Our chief pilot was acting as PNF and captain. After shutdown and feather of #2 engine, we determined that the nearest suitable airport for landing was st croix of the virgin islands. I, as first officer, recommended st croix for diversion as was required (flight to nearest suitable airport) by our company's operations manual. The captain overruled this and determined that our flight should continue on to its next destination -- san juan (or maintenance base of operations). Arguments made in defense of this decision included the following: 1) as chief pilot, the captain felt a responsibility to return the aircraft to the maintenance base. 2) he did not want to spend that night away from home. 3) this was a friday afternoon and the flight was not originally scheduled to fly (standby aircraft). I feel that a company officer or manager who has 'operational control' of company aircraft should not be acting in command of an aircraft (PIC). In an emergency situation that individual cannot help but be influenced by the best interests of the company rather than purely by the safety of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF AN LTT TURBOPROP CARRYING CARGO CONTINUED TO DEST AFTER 1 ENG FAILED AND SHUT DOWN WHICH WAS APPROX 3 TIMES THE DISTANCE OVERWATER THAN THE NEAREST ARPT.

Narrative: DURING SCHEDULED (OVERFLOW) FLT OVER OCEAN, OUR ACFT SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC ENG FAILURE. OUR CHIEF PLT WAS ACTING AS PNF AND CAPT. AFTER SHUTDOWN AND FEATHER OF #2 ENG, WE DETERMINED THAT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT FOR LNDG WAS ST CROIX OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. I, AS FO, RECOMMENDED ST CROIX FOR DIVERSION AS WAS REQUIRED (FLT TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT) BY OUR COMPANY'S OPS MANUAL. THE CAPT OVERRULED THIS AND DETERMINED THAT OUR FLT SHOULD CONTINUE ON TO ITS NEXT DEST -- SAN JUAN (OR MAINT BASE OF OPS). ARGUMENTS MADE IN DEFENSE OF THIS DECISION INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: 1) AS CHIEF PLT, THE CAPT FELT A RESPONSIBILITY TO RETURN THE ACFT TO THE MAINT BASE. 2) HE DID NOT WANT TO SPEND THAT NIGHT AWAY FROM HOME. 3) THIS WAS A FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND THE FLT WAS NOT ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO FLY (STANDBY ACFT). I FEEL THAT A COMPANY OFFICER OR MGR WHO HAS 'OPERATIONAL CTL' OF COMPANY ACFT SHOULD NOT BE ACTING IN COMMAND OF AN ACFT (PIC). IN AN EMER SIT THAT INDIVIDUAL CANNOT HELP BUT BE INFLUENCED BY THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COMPANY RATHER THAN PURELY BY THE SAFETY OF THE FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.