Zone

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 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.

Crash of a Cessna 207A Skywagon in Belize City: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1997 at 0724 LT
Operator:
Registration:
V3-HFD
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Pedro – Belize City-International – Belize City-Municipal
MSN:
207-0676
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
9N010
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1789
Captain / Total hours on type:
672.00
Aircraft flight hours:
11656
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft landed at the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport from San Pedro Airport, Ambergris Caye, with two passengers. The pilot remained in the aircraft on the apron while the two passengers disembarked. After receiving clearance from the Air Traffic Control Tower, V3-HFD, with no passengers, took off at 0720LT for the Belize City Municipal Airport. At 0722LT, the pilot reported by the Haulover Bridge and was instructed by ATC to change to frequency 122.8 MHz, which is the common broadcast frequency where pilots transmit their positions and intentions to each other. No further radio transmissions or distress calls were made to ATC after the pilot reported to Haulover Bridge. While approaching Belize City Municipal Airport at a very low altitude, the aircraft struck power cables and crashed onto a house located in the district Belama Phase 2, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 3 km southwest of runway 12 threshold. The pilot was killed and one people on the ground was injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
There is no evidence which permits the investigation to determine with certainty the actual cause of the accident. It is considered a reasonable deduction that the probable cause of the accident was that the aircraft became uncontrollable after hitting high voltage transmission lines due to the aircraft being flown at a low altitude.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 402B off San Pedro: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1991 at 1510 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N402BL
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belize City - San Pedro
MSN:
402B-0827
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
4202
Circumstances:
On approach to San Pedro Airport runway 06, the aircraft was number 2 for landing. A Cessna 207, V3-HER was ahead and had broadcast its intention to land. A Tropic Air Twin Otter, call sign Tango Alfa, on the ground, requested that N402BL go around to allow Tango Alfa to takeoff because the ramp was full. N402BL acknowledged and was seen making a left turn with wheels down. No further communication was heard from N402BL. The aircraft was seen flying very low with wheels down and flaps down in a southerly direction and as it crossed the shoreline south of the airstrip the aircraft made a sharp left turn and crashed into the sea about 200 yards from the beach at approximately 1500 hours. The aircraft struck nose first then righted itself and sank in water about five feet deep. There was no fire. Boats in the vicinity reached the accident site within a few minutes and reported that all eight occupants were dead inside the aircraft.
Probable cause:
There is no evidence which permits the investigation to determine with certainty the actual cause of the accident. It is considered a reasonable deduction that:
- The pilot was unfit for flight due to fatigue,
- He stalled the aircraft while flying very low down wind with landing gear down,
- The aircraft was much too low to recover from the stall.
Final Report:

Crash of a Swearingen SA226T Merlin III off Grand Isle: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1985 at 1255 LT
Registration:
N3RB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belize - New Orleans
MSN:
T-214
YOM:
1971
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Circumstances:
A distress message was received from the pilot stating he was 100 miles south of Grand Isle, LA, and had lost an engine and was unable to maintain altitude. A second message was received shortly afterwards stating that the aircraft was at 1,500 feet and the pilot was preparing to ditch the aircraft. No further contacts and no ELT signals were heard. The aircraft wreckage has not been located.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: missing aircraft
Phase of operation: unknown
Findings
1. (c) reason for occurrence undetermined
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Grand Commander 680 off Key West: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1985 at 0015 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N709G
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belize City - Key West
MSN:
680-865-82
YOM:
1960
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
A Coast Guard Falcon aircraft was on scene when the aircraft ditched in the Atlantic ocean due to fuel exhaustion. A life raft and marker were dropped by the Coast Guard aircraft. A search was conducted all day on 3/1/85 and was called off at sunset on on 3/2/85. The occupants were presumed to have been fatally injured or drowned. The aircraft was presumed to have been destroyed.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: loss of engine power (total) - nonmechanical
Phase of operation: cruise
Findings
1. (c) planning/decision - improper - pilot in command
2. (c) fluid, fuel - exhaustion
3. (c) fuel supply - inadequate - pilot in command
----------
Occurrence #2: forced landing
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
----------
Occurrence #3: ditching
Phase of operation: landing - flare/touchdown
Findings
4. (f) light condition - dark night
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed 18 LodeStar in Tampico: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1979 at 1905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N48RM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belize City – Tampico – McAllen
MSN:
2282
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was completing a cargo flight from Belize City to McAllen, Texas, with an intermediate stop in Tampico, carrying two pilots and a load of cigarettes. On final approach, it crashed in unknown circumstances and was destroyed by a post crash fire. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation in Belize City

Date & Time: May 19, 1976
Registration:
N468C
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tegucigalpa – Miami
MSN:
4846
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying 100 km east of Belize City on a cargo flight from Tegucigalpa to Miami, the engine n°1 failed. The crew was cleared to divert to Belize City and few minutes later, the propeller detached from engine n°1 and struck the engine n°2. The propeller on engine n°2 was feathered and on approach, the crew was unable to lower the left main gear that remained partially retracted and could not be locked down. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go-around and to recycle the gear, without success. Eventually, the crew completed a landing with the left main gear partially retracted. Upon touchdown, the left wing touched the runway surface and the airplane veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. While all three crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine n°1 and loss of its propeller for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-23 in Belize City

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N77WA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
174
YOM:
1950
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was cleared to divert to Belize City for an emergency landing. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando in Belize City: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HR-TNB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belize City – Tegucigalpa
MSN:
435
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Belize City-Philip S. W. Goldson Airport, while climbing, the left engine failed. The airplane banked left, stalled and crashed in a dense wooded area located near the airfield. A crew member was killed while the second pilot was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. It was determined that at the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 500 pound over the MTOW, which probably contributed to the engine failure.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine shortly after rotation and aircraft overloaded.