Central America

On August 14, 2003, about 2222 central daylight time, a Gates LearJet Corporation 35A, N403FW, registered to Aircraft Holdings LLC, operated by Air America Flight Services, Inc., was landed with the landing gear retracted at the Cancun International Airport, Cancun, Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and there were no injuries to the airline transport rated pilot and copilot, nor to the three medical personnel on board the airplane. The flight originated about 2145 eastern daylight time from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to the director of operations for the operator, the airplane was cleared for a visual approach to runway 12, and the flightcrew advised him they did read the landing checklist. The landing gear was down and locked as indicated by the three green lights; though they didn't recall if the landing gear was extended as evidenced by the landing lights. They also advised him of feeling fuselage to runway surface contact; the airplane slid approximately 4,000 feet before coming to rest upright. Following the occurrence, the nose of the airplane was raised and the nose landing gear was observed to be inside the wheel well. Emergency extension of the landing gear was initiated and the nose landing gear extended and locked; the main landing gear did not extend as fuselage to runway contact prevented extension of the main landing gears. The airplane was dragged from the runway where approximately 2 days later, a crane raised the airplane. At that time, the main landing gears which were in the wheel wells, extended and locked into position.

On July 13, 2003, about 1530 eastern daylight time, Air Sunshine, Inc. (doing business as Tropical Aviation Services, Inc.), flight 527, a Cessna 402C, N314AB, was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean about 7.35 nautical miles west-northwest of Treasure Cay Airport (MYAT), Treasure Cay, Great Abaco Island, Bahamas, following the in-flight failure of the right engine. Four of the nine passengers sustained no injuries, three passengers and the pilot sustained minor injuries, and one adult and one child passenger died after they evacuated the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as a scheduled international passenger commuter flight from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to MYAT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan.

On June 17, 2003, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 402B, N3748C, registered to Hamilton Development Company Ltd., operated by Execstar Aviation, Inc., collided with a seawall during the landing roll at a private airstrip located on Little Whale Cay, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 135 non-scheduled, international, passenger/cargo flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight originated about 10 minutes earlier from Chub Cay, Bahamas. The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination airport where he overflew the runway and set up for landing to the southeast on the 2,000 foot-long runway. While on final approach with the flaps fully extended, he maintained 95 knots which was just below blue line, then slowed to 88 knots when the runway was assured. He landed within the first 1/3 on the wet runway and reported inadequate braking and the airplane was possibly hydroplaning. Recognizing that he was unable to clear an approximately 4-foot-tall seawall near the end of the runway, he applied aft elevator control input. He further stated he believes the main landing gear contacted the seawall causing them to structurally separate. The airplane descended and impacted the water where he and the passengers exited the airplane using the emergency window and walked to the beach.

After takeoff from Nueva Gerona-Rafael Cabrera Airport runway 23, the crew elected to climb to an altitude of 1,000 feet he encountered technical problems. He contacted ATC and was cleared for an immediate return. Following a 180 turn, the crew completed a flapless approach to runway 05. After landing, the aircraft rolled for about 2,500 metres then overran and came to rest in an artificial lake. All 52 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was on a flight from Canouan, a small island in the St Vincent group, to Barbados. Shortly after entering Barbados airspace, radar recordings show the aircraft deviated to the south of a direct easterly track to Barbados and descended from cruise flight level (FL) 55 to an altitude of 2,300 feet. The aircraft levelled at 2,300 feet and resumed an easterly track for about six minutes before once again deviating to the south and commencing a further descent. About 16 minutes after the aircraft's initial descent from FL55, the pilots of a commercial aircraft flying from Grenada to Barbados relayed a MAYDAY call from G-ILEA to Barbados Arrivals reporting that the pilot "had lost one engine; it appeared he was losing fuel and he doubted that he would be able to make it to Barbados". Some three and a half minutes after the initial MAYDAY call, the pilot of the commercial aircraft relayed a further message stating that the pilot intended to ditch. The final radar return for the aircraft showed it at an altitude of 600 feet about 55 miles on the 259° radial from Barbados Airport. Despite an extensive search and rescue operation, no trace of the aircraft or its two occupants was found. A reconciliation of fuel receipts and flight times shows that, at best, the aircraft would have been short of fuel for the flight, and at worst could have run out of fuel.

The seaplane departed Tulum on a flight to Chetumal with three people on board. On approach to Chetumal Airport in good weather conditions, the pilot was cleared to land on runway 10 and initiated a left turn when control was slot. The aircraft rolled to the left, lost height and crashed 6 km short of the runway, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed.

After landing at Badiraguato Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and veered off runway. It collided with rocks, lost its tail and came to rest. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft overran the runway and came to rest in a parking lot, while landing at Herrera International Airport, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the airline transport-rated pilot, copilot, and two passengers received minor injuries. The flight originated from Las Americas International Airport, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the same day, about 1810. The pilot stated they made a normal approach and landing on runway 19 at Herrera International Airport. Once on the ground they activated lift dump spoilers, but the system failed. They were unable to stop the airplane on the remaining runway. The airplane came to a stop, inverted beyond a street that is at the end of the runway.

The twin engine airplane departed Santo Domingo-Las Américas International Airport on a short flight to the Santo Domingo-Herrera Airport located downtown. Following a night takeoff, the pilot encountered a loss of power on the right engine and was unable to feather its propeller. As the propeller was windmilling, he was unable to maintain a safe altitude and elected to ditch the aircraft that crashed in the sea about 800 metres offshore. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger was killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was returning to his base at Panama City-Albrook Marcos A. Gelabert Airport after he dropped seven passengers in Bocas del Toro. En route, the twin engine aircraft was lost without trace. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended on January 8, 2003, as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found.