Date & Time:
May 20, 2015
Type of aircraft:
BAe 125
Operator:
Registration:
N917TF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
257138
YOM:
1981
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
2
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off in the day from an airfield located in Venezuela with two passengers, two pilots and a load of 1,3 ton of narcotics, en route to Central America. While cruising over the Caribbean Sea off the Colombian coast, the aircraft was intercepted by a Colombian Air Force fighter. In unclear situation, the right engine of the Hawker caught fire (shot down ?). The crew descended in a low nose down attitude until the aircraft impacted the sea and disintegrated. All four occupants were killed and the load of narcotics was found floating on water. Three dead bodies and some debris of the aircraft were found few days later on a beach located northeast of Puerto Colombia. The aircraft was identified as N917TF which departed Fort Lauderdale-Executive Airport, Florida for Toluca, Mexico on May 1, 2015. It was formally cancelled from the U.S. register on June 2, 2015 as exported to Mexico.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a Colombian Air Force fighter.
