Moss Town

At 0444Z On May 24 2006, Miami Centre (George Town Sector) informed Nassau ATC That Lifeguard Flight N475AT, a Westwind Jet (WW-1124), en-route from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Norfolk, Virginia reported that it had developed generator problems and the aircraft was looking to land at the nearest airport to its position. Miami Air Traffic Center vectored the aircraft to Exuma International Airport at Great Exuma, Bahamas, as that was the nearest airport. Attempts were made by Nassau ATC to contact the authorities at Exuma International Airport to have the runway lights turned on. At 0454Z, Miami ATC reported loss of contact with the aircraft; therefore, N475AT proceeded with an emergency landing, before Miami ATC could give further instructions. The uncontrolled aircraft came to rest approximately 800 feet beyond the end of runway 30 and approximately 300 feet right of the extended centre line of the runway. The aircraft landing gears were sheered off when the aircraft exited the runway, hence traveling into the clearing and then eventually into the bushes on the right side of the runway. The right wing of the aircraft collided with a mound of dirt, causing it to spin uncontrollably, resulting in it coming to rest on an easterly heading at an approximate 30 degree incline. The occupants were evacuated from the wreckage and received minor injuries while making their way thru the thick brush and shrubbery while being led to safety. All Crew members were ATP rated and both proficiency checks found to be were valid and current neither of the pilots was available for an interview at the time of the field investigation at Exuma International Airport.

On May 16, 2005 about 1230EST (1845Z), a Britten Norman Islander aircraft, registration C6-ASA crashed approximately 3nm northeast of the Moss Town International Airport. The Pilot reported, “about 35 minutes south of Nassau International Airport [MYNN] I noticed that my ground speed was very low. I continued with my flight to MYEF because I should have had 1 hour and 30 minutes of fuel. About 10 miles from MYEF my right engine quit then 2 minutes later my left engine quit. I then look a suitable place to land three miles from the airport.” The one (1) pilot and two (2) passengers received no serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed from impact sustained as it contacted the trees. The accident flight originated from Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas to Moss Town, Exuma, Bahamas with an intermediate stop in South Bimini, Bahamas. Visual Flight Rules Conditions existed at the time of the accident. The aircraft was operated by Flamingo Air Limited, a Bahamian Air Operator Certificate holder. Flamingo Air Limited operated as a Commuter, Unscheduled / On Demand Operator in commercial air transport. Flamingo Air Limited operated under the provision of the Bahamas Aviation Safety Regulations (BASR 2001). Its aircraft are maintained under the provision of Bahamas Aviation Safety Regulations (BASR 2001). The aircraft had flown a total of 2 flights including the accident flight. The pilot flew both flights [the same pilot later flew the accident flight]. The pilot reported no problems with the aircraft prior to the accident. There were no open MEL items. There were no open (uncorrected) mechanical irregularities written in the Technical and Journey Log. On May 15, 2005 the pilot uplifted a total of 130 gallons of fuel, which is the maximum capacity for this aircraft. Prior to the accident flight, the aircraft completed two flights, MYAM to MYGF [flown on May 15, 2005] which lasted 45 minutes and MYGF to MYBS [flown on May 16, 2005] which lasted 30 minutes. No fuel was uplifted prior to the next flight which was MYBS to MYEF, the accident flight [flown on May 16, 2005]. During post accident interviews, the pilot confirmed that he had not noticed anything unusual about the airplane. The pilot later surmised that he had simply run out of fuel.

Before the start of the trip, the pilot was reportedly given $500.00 cash by the operator to purchase fuel. The pilot stated that the first leg of the flight from KFLL to MYEF departed with the main fuel tanks full and approximately 10 gallons in each of the auxiliary fuel tanks. There were no deviations en-route, and the uneventful flight lasted a reported 1 hour 40 minutes. After landing in Exuma International Airport, the main fuel tanks contained slightly more than 1/2 fuel capacity. Ten gallons of fuel were added to each of the two auxiliary fuel tanks at MYEF, no additional fuel was purchased. The flight departed for KFLL, and during the climb to 10,000 feet, he leaned the fuel/air mixture. During the cruise portion of the flight, the fuel in the auxiliary fuel tanks was consumed then he switched to the main fuel tanks to supply fuel to the engines. The flight crossed the DEKAL intersection at 4,000 feet, which is about 31 nautical miles southeast of KFLL, continued, and the right engine manifold pressure decreased, the cylinder head temperature reached red line indication, and the engine sputtered. He declared an emergency with air traffic control and the controller provided vectors to KFLL which he verbally acknowledged but did not comply with. While operating single engine, with the engine operating at full power, he reported no discrepancies with the left engine. He reported he could reach KFLL but was concerned about flying over a populated area at a low altitude, and was losing altitude. Contrary to the statement made by the pilot that he was not able to maintain altitude while flying single-engine, the airplane was capable of a rate of climb greater than 170 feet-per-minute if flown properly. He elected to ditch the airplane in the Atlantic Ocean; the airplane was not recovered. The operator was asked repeatedly by NTSB for historical fuel receipts and flight hours for N61518 but did not comply. NTSB review of fuel consumption calculations performed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector-In-Charge revealed the aircraft would have experienced fuel exhaustion at the approximate location and time when the pilot declared an emergency with ATC following failure of the right engine. The NTSB did not receive the NTSB requested detailed, signed, dated statement from the pilot.

After takeoff at dawn on a foggy morning, the airplane collided with electrical transmission wires about one mile from the end of the runway, on an extended line about 50 degrees left of the extended runway centerline. The left wing tip fuel tank (left main) was partially severed from the airplane, breaching the tank. Additionally, the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were severed, and a portion of the windscreen was separated. A suggestion was made by the operator that the autopilot trim may have been improperly set, precipitating a nose pitch down upon engagement of the autopilot during the climb. The airplane continued to fly for about 20 minutes, then impacted in a steep right wing down attitude into a densely wooded area that was surrounded by open terrain. The ensuing fire precluded any determination of engine malfunction, systems' discrepancies, or wire strike damage to the left propeller. No determination of pilot incapacitation was possible because of the post impact fire. Based upon the ground witness statement, the left engine was probably inoperative following the wire strike. The impact attitude was inconsistent with a decreasing speed loss of control with the left engine inoperative. However, the flight control trim settings, left main fuel tank selected, and throttle quadrant settings all may have been indicative of pilot incapacitation that precluded proper emergency procedure response. Additionally, the airplane impacted into a densely wooded area surrounded by flatter terrain absent of tall obstacles.

On approach to Moss Town, one of the engine failed. The airplane lost height and crashed in flames short of runway. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The floatplane assigned to VPB-2 (OTU#3) departed Banana River NAS in the early evening of July 9 on a maritime patrol flight over the Sargasso Sea, outbound to Great Exuma (Moss Town). At 2115LT, the captain informed ground that he was approaching New Providence Island, Bahamas, and that the ETA would be 0215LT. This was the last radio transmission. SAR operations were conducted for 21 days on a large area but no trace of the aircraft nor the 12 occupants was ever found. It is believed that the airplane crashed into the sea some 10 NM north of Paradise Island, New Providence. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor with thunderstorm activity over the area.