Engine Mix-up Led To 737 Ditching

The NTSB says the crew of a first-generation Boeing 737 that ditched in the ocean off Honolulu on July 2, 2021, mixed up which engine was underperforming on the plane and steadily reduced power to the good engine while trying to coax more out of the damaged one. The aircraft went down a few miles offshore and both pilots survived. According to the final report, the Transair cargo flight had just taken off from Honolulu with the first officer flying when they heard a thud and the pilot flying correctly assessed that the right engine had lost some power. As the crew worked the problem, the first officer reduced power on both engines to slow the plane to a target speed of 220 knots and subsequently mixed up the engines and told the captain it was the left engine that was affected. "The captain accepted the first officer’s assessment and did not take action to verify the information," the report said. 

The captain took control but remained under the incorrect assumption that the good engine was on the right. He added throttle to the damaged engine and it responded somewhat but not enough to keep the plane in the air. Meanwhile, the undamaged left engine was near idle and he did not adjust the left throttle. There wasn't enough power to keep the plane in the air and he ditched in the ocean. The report says the failure to verify which engine was affected was "likely the result of the captain’s high workload and stress."