Crash of a Learjet 35 in Santa Marta

Date & Time: Sep 21, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-DOC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing an illegal flight in Central America and was apparently attempting to land on a remote area near Santa Marta. The accident occurred in unclear circumstances and nobody was found in the wreckage. The registration XA-DOC is false and the MSN of the airplane remains unknown.

Crash of a BAe 125-700A in Sartaneja

Date & Time: May 28, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N720PT
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
257032
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane landed on an illegal airstrip, lost its nose gear and hit obstacles before coming to rest. No one was found on site. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Gulfstream GIIB in Blue Creek

Date & Time: Sep 30, 2019
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XB-PVO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
199
YOM:
1977
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Apparently engaged in an illegal flight, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Blue Creek after the crew attempted to land on a dirt road. The aircraft crashed and came to rest, broken in two. All occupants escaped from the area and no one was found in the airplane. Also, it was reported that no contraband was found on board.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Blue Creek

Date & Time: Mar 15, 2018 at 0200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YV3284
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
BB-1277
YOM:
1987
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
By night, the pilot attempted to land in a prairie located in Blue Creek, west Belize. The airplane belly landed and slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest, almost broken in two. The pilot leaved the scene but was quickly arrested by the local police. It is believed that it was an illegal flight as the registration on the aircraft (YV3224) is wrong. It appears that the correct registration was YV3284.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan off Placencia

Date & Time: Nov 17, 2017 at 0846 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HGX
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Placencia – Punta Gorda
MSN:
208B-1162
YOM:
2005
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
19040
Captain / Total hours on type:
12092.00
Aircraft flight hours:
2106
Circumstances:
On 17 November, 2017, a Tropic Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with registration V3-HGX, departed from the Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport at approximately 7:15 a.m. local time with one aircraft captain, 11 passengers and 1 crew on board. The flight was a regular operated commercial passenger flight with scheduled stops in Dangriga, Placencia and with the final destination being Punta Gorda. The pilot reported that the portion of the flight from Belize City to Dangriga was uneventful and normal and so was the landing at Placencia. At approximately 8:40 a.m. local time the airplane taxied from the Tropic Air ramp and taxied towards the west on runway 25. The pilot did a turnaround using all the available runway at normal speed and started his takeoff run to the east on runway 07. The pilot proceeded down the runway in a normal takeoff roll with normal takeoff speed and prior to reaching the end of the runway, he rotated the aircraft and lifted the nose wheel to get airborne. At exactly 28 feet past the end of runway 07 and during the initial climb phase, a part of the aircraft landing gear made contact with the upper part of the front righthand passenger door frame of a vehicle that had breached the area in front of the runway which is normally protected by traffic barriers. The impact caused the aircraft to deviate from its initial climb profile, and the pilot reported that the engine was working for a couple seconds and it abruptly shut down shortly after. The pilot realized that he was unable to return to the airport. The pilot carried out emergency drills for engine loss after take-off over water and decided to ditch the aircraft in the sea, which was approximately 200-300 feet from the main shoreline in front of the Placencia airport. The flight crew and all passengers were safely evacuated from the fuselage with the assistance of witnesses and passing boats which provided an impromptu rescue for the passengers. All passengers received only minor injuries.
Probable cause:
The following are factors that are derived from the failures in the areas mentioned in section 3.00 (conclusions):
a. There is a lack of traffic surveillance to ensure that drivers comply with the warning signs of low flying aircraft and do not breach the barriers when they are down or inoperative. The left barrier at Placencia was reportedly inoperative and the right barrier was said to be working. As a result, this removed a significant level of protection for vehicles which operate on the portion of the road which intersects the departure path of aircraft. The purpose of the barriers is to protect vehicles from coming in close contact with low flying aircraft. The driver of the vehicle failed to adhere to traffic warning signs regarding low flying aircraft and drove his vehicle directly into the departure path of an aircraft (Probable cause).
b. ADAS data calculations showed that the pilot had a period of 13.33 seconds when he achieved take off performance, but he did not rotate the aircraft. Although the aircraft engine performance was normal, the actual take-off weight was within limits and the distance available to the pilot to abort the take-off was 872 feet; the pilot still flew the aircraft at a dangerously low altitude over the road and did not properly assess the risk at hand which was a vehicle advancing into the aircraft’s departure path which could cause a collision. (Probable cause).
c. The angle at which the aircraft made contact with the vehicle was not a direct head on angle, but the contact was made when the vehicle was off to the right-hand side of the extended centerline of runway 07. The aircraft did not follow the direct path of the extended center line of runway 07 prior to making contact, but instead it made a slight right turn shortly after the wheels left the ground. The pilot did not take collision avoidance (evasive) measures in a timely manner (probable cause).
d. The pilot did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of proper ditching procedures which led to an inadequate response to the emergency at hand. The operator did not provide the flight crew with the proper ditching training.

Probable causes:
1. The driver of the vehicle failed to adhere to traffic warning signs regarding low flying aircraft and drove his vehicle directly into the departure path of an aircraft.
2. The pilot flew the aircraft at a dangerously low altitude over the road and did not properly assess the risk at hand which was a vehicle advancing into the aircraft’s departure path which could cause a collision.
3. The pilot did not take collision avoidance (evasive) measures in a timely manner.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan off Belize City

Date & Time: Dec 4, 2014 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HHU
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Pedro – Belize City
MSN:
208B-2025
YOM:
2008
Flight number:
9N281
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Belize City-Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport in marginal weather conditions, the single engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its right main gear, plunged into the sea and came to rest in shallow water. All six occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan off Belize City

Date & Time: Sep 7, 2008 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HFQ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belize City - Belize City
MSN:
208B-0575
YOM:
1996
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Belize City-Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport on a short flight to the Belize City-Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport with 4 US citizens and one pilot on board. While cruising along the shore, the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and attempted to land on a beach when the aircraft crashed in the sea and came to rest in two feet of water, broken in two. All five occupants escaped with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Corozal

Date & Time: Dec 4, 2007
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HFS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Corozal – San Pedro
MSN:
208B-0579
YOM:
1996
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 25 at Corozal Airport, the pilot decided to abandon the takeoff procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the single engine aircraft overran, went through a fence and came to rest against trees. All 12 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 207A Stationair 8 II off High Bluff

Date & Time: Nov 7, 2006 at 0715 LT
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HDT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Orange Walk – Corozal
MSN:
207-0716
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Orange Walk Airport at 0700LT for a 30 miles flight to Corozal, North Belize. After 15 minutes, the pilot encountered engine problems and elected to ditch the aircraft about 4 miles south of High Bluff. The aircraft sank in shallow water (about 5 feet deep). All 6 occupants were rescued by the crew of a boat.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight for unknown reasons. The engine was recently overhauled.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander in Privacion: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 2005 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HFO
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Belize City – Privacion
MSN:
465
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Circumstances:
The aircraft was performing a charter flight from Belize City to the private airstrip of Privacion desserving Blancaneaux Lodge with two US citizens in honeymoon and one pilot on board. At 1016LT, the pilot reported over La Democracia and all on board seems to be ok. While descending to Privacion Aerodrome, weather conditions deteriorated when the twin engine aircraft crashed in a wooded area located about 5 km from the destination. The wreckage was found at the end of the day in a mountainous terrain. Weather conditions deteriorated due to the tropical storm Gamma approaching Belize. All three occupants were killed.