Crash of a Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander in Cozumel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1990 at 1840 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N301AJ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston – Cozumel – Houston
MSN:
1121-048
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
332.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
336
Aircraft flight hours:
7033
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Kingston, Jamaica, to Houston, Texas, with an intermediate stop in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, carrying six passengers and a crew of six. The approach to Cozumel Airport was initiated at dusk and under VFR mode when, on short final, the aircraft struck approach lights and crashed 503 meters short of runway 29 threshold. A pilot was killed while the second one was seriously injured. All six passengers escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
Impact with the ground during the approach at dusk (evening twilight) with wrong altimeter setting on the second officer's instruments, during an operation completed under VFR mode.
Final Report:

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander III-2 off Port-de-Paix

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1986
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
VQ-TAJ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston - Cockburn Town
MSN:
1009
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Kingston, Jamaica, to Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, the three engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Port-de-Paix, Haiti. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 off Kingston: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1984
Registration:
N6806S
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
680-301-6
YOM:
1956
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Kingston, killing both occupants.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo off Kingston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1977 at 2003 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N483LC
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Barranquilla - Tampa
MSN:
31-426
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
715
Circumstances:
While approaching the Jamaican coast on a flight from Barranquilla to Tampa, both engines failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed into the sea off Kingston. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was ever found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the cause of the accident could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-43 off Bridgetown: 73 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1976 at 1724 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1201
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bridgetown - Kingston - Havana
MSN:
45611/127
YOM:
1960
Flight number:
CU455
Country:
Crew on board:
25
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
73
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed Bridgetown-Grantley Adams Airport at 1715LT on a schedule flight to Havana via Kingston, Jamaica. Nine minutes later, the captain declared an emergency and informed ATC about an explosion on board. He was cleared to return for an emergency landing when shortly later, the airplane entered a right turn, lost height and plunged into the sea about 8 km offshore. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 73 occupants were killed, among them 24 members of the Cuban National Fencing Team.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an explosive device has been placed on board the aircraft, at the rear part of the cabin, and that exploded during initial climb, causing severe damages to control systems. The terrorist act was claimed by the Coordination of United Revolutionary Organizations, an anti-Castro organization, with Luis Posada Carriles at his head.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45G Expeditor in Sarasota

Date & Time: May 11, 1973 at 1217 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7697C
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston - Tampa
MSN:
AF-404
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7226
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
While cruising along the west coast of Florida on a cargo flight from Kingston to Tampa, the pilot informed ATC about an engine fire and elected to divert to Sarasota-Bradenton Airport for an emergency landing. On approach, the pilot realized he could not make it so he landed the airplane in a prairie. The aircraft rolled for few dozen yards before coming to rest in flames. While the pilot escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight and precautionary landing off airport. Fire after impact. The pilot executed a wheels down landing. The cause of fire described as whitish in colour could not be determined.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in Kerhonkson

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1969 at 1940 LT
Registration:
N1529U
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Kingston - Erie
MSN:
207-0129
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9633
Captain / Total hours on type:
200.00
Circumstances:
While cruising under VFR mode by night, the crew requested an IFR clearance to ATC. Awaiting for it, the crew became lost and disoriented when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Kerhonkson. Both pilots were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain caused by improper in-flight decisions or planning. The crew became lost and disoriented and the aircraft struck an unlighted mountain ridge 7 miles right of the intended course while awaiting IFR clearance.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A Commando near Kingston: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1962 at 0350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-354X
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Fairbanks – Miami – Kingston – Bogotá
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The Curtiss C-46 operated on a ferry flight from Fairbanks to Bogotá via Miami and Kingston, carrying four spare engines and spare parts. The plane arrived at Kingston on November 25, 17:01 GMT. Following refueling of the aircraft, fuel was observed venting from the right front tank. This caused a delay in departure. At 08:47 GMT the next day, the C-46 lifted off from runway 29 after a long takeoff run and was cleared to climb ahead to 1500 feet. The plane started to turn left on crossing the coastline. Three minutes after takeoff, while still in a shallow climbing left-hand turn, the aircraft flew onto the southern face of Port Henderson Hills at a height of 700 feet. After scraping along rough ground over the brow of the hill, the aircraft fell down a steep precipice and caught fire.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was turned during the climb after takeoff at a height insufficient to clear rising ground. The ability of the pilot to avoid the hill may have been affected by some mechanical or other failure, although the occurrence of such a failure was not established. A contributing factor was that the carriage of one pilot was inadequate for the safe operation of an aircraft of this type.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56 LodeStar off Kingston: 13 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VP-JBC
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kingston – George Town
MSN:
2568
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kingston-Palisadoes Airport, while climbing to a height of 100-200 feet, the twin engine aircraft banked left, lost height and crashed into the sea. A passenger was rescued while 13 other occupants, were killed. The pilot, Owen Roberts, was the owner of the company. Later, the international Airport of George Town in the Cayman Islands was renamed on his honor.
Probable cause:
The failure of the port engine which in turn was due to the cracking of the Accessory Drive Gear. Thereafter the disaster must be attributed to the failure of the pilot to take precautionary steps on hearing the back firing, which, so far as he knew, might or might not have been a warning of possible engine failure.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-2 off Kingston

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1951 at 1010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N90662
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Camagüey – Kingston – Maracaibo
MSN:
49
YOM:
1948
Flight number:
PA507
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
30
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9666
Captain / Total hours on type:
2618.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2591
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1199
Aircraft flight hours:
4146
Circumstances:
Flight 507 departed Miami, Florida, at 0700, September 2, 1951, and made a routine scheduled stop at Camagüey, Cuba. No irregularities were reported by the flight crew upon arrival at Camagüey, and the flight departed there on schedule at 0900, cleared under visual flight rules direct to Kingston, Jamaica, with Montego Bay, Jamaica, as an alternate. The gross weight of the aircraft and distribution of the disposable load were within allowable limits upon departure from Camagüey. The flight was uneventful between Camagüey and Kingston, and routine radio contacts were made en route At 1003 Flight 507 reported its position to Palisadoes Airport Tower, Kingston, as 20 miles north and a little later was cleared into the traffic pattern for Runway 14. The flight acknowledged this clearance and shortly thereafter reported that the field was in sight Palisadoes Tower then advised Flight 507 of the presence of a local squall between Kingston and the approach end of Runway 14, with heavy rain at the airport, and suggested a low approach. When the aircraft first came into view of the air traffic controller, it was just emerging from the heavy part of the squall, which was then over the approach end of Run-way 14 and moving northwesterly. At this time the flight requested and received permission to circle the airport to the right Witnesses located near the approach end of Runway 14 observed the aircraft flying in a southeasterly direction, paralleling the runway. At approximately the runway intersection, 2 the aircraft turned right and continued around the airport to a point northwest of the approach end of Runway 14 and over Kingston Harbor, here it was observed to descend into the water about 800 feet short of the runway. No one was seriously injured. A motor launch from a nearby salvage vessel arrived alongside the wrecked aircraft in a matter of minutes and took the survivors ashore. The wreckage floated for a short time, then sank, leaving only a part of the tail group and one wing visible above the surface of the water.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the serious error in judgment and piloting technique on the part of the co-pilot and the failure of the captain to recognize the error and take over the controls in sufficient time to take corrective action. It was also determined that the rain squall in the Kingston area was local in nature and the visibility and ceiling at the airport were well above minimums. Also there was no malfunctioning of the aircraft or any of its components prior to impact.
Final Report: