Date & Time:
Sep 21, 1978 at 1243 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
N407D
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Fort Lauderdale - Havana
MSN:
2244
YOM:
1940
Flight number:
AAL902
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport runway 09L at 1129LT on a positioning flight to Havana, Cuba, to pick up 21 US citizens. While flying over the Florida Strait at an altitude of 6,000 feet in relative good weather conditions, the crew encountered difficulties to maintain radio contact with Cuban ATC. Thus, messages were relayed by the crew of another airplane flying higher. Eight minutes after the radio contact was properly established, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended three days later, on Sep 24, as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences as the wreckage was not found, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.
Final Report:
N407D.pdf67.42 KB
