Central America

Shortly after take off from Oaxaca Airport runway 19, while in initial climb, the pilot informed ATC about an engine fire and elected to return for an emergency. Following a turn to runway 02, the pilot was informed about the presence of a Mexicana Fokker 100 that lined up and was waiting for takeoff clearance. The Cessna pilot made a 360 turn when the aircraft stalled and crashed short of runway, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.

While flying at low height in the early morning, the single engine airplane collided with a tree and impacted terrain near Pedernales, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed. Among the debris, a load of 97 kg of cocaine was found, some of this quantity was destroyed by crash fire.

On September 15, 2008 Cessna 421B, N7560Q, was substantially damaged after it collided with mountainous terrain approximately 28 miles northwest of Ojinaga, Mexico, near the border town of Presidio, Texas. The air transport rated pilot and the three passengers were fatally injured. The pilot contacted the Fort Worth Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), Fort Worth, Texas, at 1016, approximately 15 minutes after he departed El Paso International Airport, El Paso, Texas, and filed a visual flight rules flight plan to Presidio, Texas. The pilot informed an AFSS specialist that he intended to enter Mexican airspace for the purpose of flying over the Luis Leon Dam, but had no intentions of landing in Mexico. The pilot did not request a weather briefing for the flight however, he was informed by the specialist that visual flight rules were not recommended due to mountain obscuration. Onboard the airplane were the pilot, the United States and Mexican Commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), and the Executive Director for the Rio Grande Council of Governments. The purpose of the flight was to assess Rio Grande flood conditions at Presidio-Ojinaga and to coordinate joint US-Mexican efforts with local officials to address flood control concerns in the area due to heavy inflows to the Rio Grande from reservoirs inside Mexico as a result of recent storms. The airplane wreckage was located on September 17, 2008, by the Marfa Sector of the US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Division, on the west side of the Sierra Grande Mountains, at an approximate elevation of 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The airplane came to rest approximately 100-150 feet below the top of a ridgeline on a heading of 055 degrees along victor-airway V81.

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.

The single engine aircraft departed Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport at 0923LT on a flight to El Estor with 12 passengers and two pilots on board. About 18 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain contacted ATC and declared an emergency. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. Three passengers were seriously injured while 11 other occupants including both pilots were killed.

The aircraft departed Santo Domingo-Las Améericas Airport at 2026LT on a positioning flight to San Juan, Porto Rico. While climbing in night conditions, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in the sea few km offshore. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found.

Shortly after takeoff from Guadalajara-Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Airport, the crew encountered high voltage problems. While trying to resolve the issue, the electrical system failed. The crew informed ATC and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Upon touchdown, the landing gear collapsed. The aircraft slid on its belly and came to rest, bursting into flames. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft departed Hamilton, Ontario, on a cargo flight to Saltillo, Coahuila, with an intermediate stop in Shreveport, LA, carrying two pilots and a load consisting of 4 tons of auto parts. The aircraft arrived in Shreveport at 2319LT and departed at 2348LT. On approach to Saltillo-Plan de Guadalupe Airport, the crew encountered low visibility due to poor weather conditions and dark night. On final approach to runway 17, as the captain was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway, he decided to abandon the approach and initiated a go-around procedure. Nine seconds later, the aircraft stuck the ground and crashed 550 metres to the east of the runway 17 threshold, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed, the captain was killed and the copilot was seriously injured.

On June 9, 2008, about 1401 eastern daylight time, an Aero Commander 500S, N501AP, registered to and operated by Gramar 500, Inc., experienced a loss of engine power in both engines and was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean about 1/2 mile south of North Bimini, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight from Nassau International Airport (MYNN), Nassau, Bahamas, to Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The airplane was destroyed due to salt water immersion, and the airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The pilot stated that when the flight was past Bimini, the right engine started running rough and losing power. He turned southeast to enter a left base for runway 09 at South Bimini Airport, and the left engine also began to run rough and lost power. The pilot ditched the aircraft, evacuated into a life raft, and was rescued by a pleasure boater. The pilot also stated that 25 gallons of fuel were added while at MYNN, for a total fuel supply of 90 gallons. Both engines were test run 8 days after the accident using a test propeller. Both engines ran to near maximum RPM. One magneto from each engine was replaced prior to the test run.

The twin engine aircraft departed Panama City-Marcos A. Gelabert Airport at 0734LT on a private flight to Contadora Island with five passengers and one pilot on board. Following an uneventful flight, the aircraft landed on wet runway 35. It skidded then veered off runway to the left and came to rest in bushes. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.