Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Panama City
Date & Time:
Oct 31, 2007 at 1530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HP-1541PST
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Panama City – Bocas del Toro
MSN:
10297
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
PST980
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
33398
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 36, while climbing to a height of 50 feet, the crew raised the landing gear when the aircraft stalled. It landed back on the runway about 380 metres from the runway end. It slid on all this distance, overran then turned to the left and came to rest in a grassy area about 60 metres past the runway end. All 13 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The stall that occurred during the initial climb was the result of the copilot's confusion in interpreting the information transmitted by the captain which led him to initiate the rotation before reaching the speed of 95 knots (V1). The crew could not obtain sufficient power from both engines because they had not activated the methanol water system in view of the existing meteorological conditions, the wet runway and the takeoff weight, which remains a contributing factor.
Final Report:
