Central America

On August 12, 2000, about 1115 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft B200, N3199A, registered to and operated by Great Texas Food Inc. as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ran off the side of the runway during landing in Spanish Cay, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and the two passengers received no injuries. The flight originated from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the same day, about 1030. The pilot stated that he made an uneventful landing and as he applied the brakes, the left brake did not respond. He stated that he lost control of the aircraft and exited the runway from the right side and impacted a berm. The right landing gear collapsed, the left wing and the front fuselage incurred substantial damage.

On July 20, 2000, about 1312 eastern daylight time, a Douglas DC-3, N54AA, registered to Allied Air Freight, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 135 cargo charter flight, crashed after takeoff from Nassau International Airport, New Providence Island, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by post crash fire and the ATP-rated pilot and commercially-rated copilot were fatally injured. The flight originated about 6 minutes before the accident. According to initial reports, after takeoff from runway 14, the pilot advised the tower that he would have to shut down the right engine and return for an emergency landing on runway 14. The airplane was observed to lose altitude and crash about 2 miles from the airport, east of the extended centerline of runway 14.

The aircraft departed Tuxtla Gutiérrez Airport on a regular schedule flight to Mérida with intermediate stops in Villahermosa and Veracruz, carrying 17 passengers and two pilots. En route to Villahermosa-Carlos Rovirosa Pérez Airport, at an altitude of 16,000 feet and about 50 miles from the destination, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and deviated from the V3 Airway to the right for about 24 km. After he initiated the descent, the crew was instructed by ATC to report 25 DME. Shortly later, while descending in clouds, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Chulum Juárez, about 80 km southeast of Villahermosa Airport. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 1,890 metres. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed.

After departure from San Juan, the pilot of N405MN contacted the FAA San Juan Approach Control, was identified on radar by the controller, and told to climb to 7,000 feet. About 1 minute later, the pilot is told to proceed direct to St. Croix. About 4 minutes later, the pilot requested radar vectors to St. Croix, and was told to fly heading 140 degrees. Radar data showed the flight leveled at the cruise altitude of 7,000 feet at about 0444. At about 0453:36, the pilot requested a lower altitude, and was cleared to 2,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged the clearance, and no further transmissions were received from the pilot. The flight began descent from 7,000 feet at about 0454. At 0454:29, the aircraft's transponder reports the flight is at 6,500 feet. At 0454:41, the transponder reports the flight is at 5,600 feet, and at 0454:49, at 4,000 feet. At 0454:53, the transponder reports the flight is at 1,100 feet. The flight is not observed on radar after this. No other aircraft or radar returns are observed near the flight as it began it's descent. One main landing gear tire, wheel, and brake assembly; the left wing lower skin from the area above the wing flap; the left wing baggage compartment door; the right nose baggage compartment door; the cabin floor cover; and some items from the U.S. mail cargo, were recovered floating in the ocean, at points north of the last observed radar contact with the airplane, on the day of the accident and in the days after the accident. The recovered components had damage from being separated from the airplane. None of the recovered components had any fire, heat, or soot damage. The remainder of the airplane was not located and recovered. The depth of the sea in the area of the accident site was reported by the Coast Guard to be about 6,000 feet. U.S. Post Office personnel reported the flight carried 1,517 pounds of U.S. mail. No hazardous materials were in the mail. A 75-pound pouch of mail was recovered from the ocean and identified as having been placed on N405MN. The weather at the time of the accident was reported to scattered clouds with visibility 10 miles.

On June 2, 2000, about 1240 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 401, Dominican Republic registration HI-696CT, registered to and operated by Air Century, crashed shortly after takeoff from La Romana International Airport, La Romana, Dominican Republic, while on an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed. The commercial-rated pilot received fatal injuries. The commercial-rated second pilot received serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. Civil aviation authorities stated that the flight was an instructional flight. Shortly after takeoff on runway 12, the pilot simulated the failure of the left engine. Control of the aircraft was lost and the aircraft crashed 350 meters from the runway. Examination of the aircraft and engines showed no mechanical anomalies.

Upon landing at Bocas del Toro, in unclear circumstances, the aircraft went out of control and veered off runway. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a sugarcane field. All eight occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While descending at an altitude of 7,500 feet in relative good weather conditions, the crew informed ATC about their position when contact was lost. The wreckage was found five days later at the altitude of 762 metres on the slope of a mountain (850 metres high) located near Carreto, about 22 km northwest pf Puerto Obaldía Airport. All 10 occupants were killed. The crew was descending under VFR mode when the accident occurred for unknown reasons.

The crew departed Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport on a local post maintenance test flight. After takeoff, while in initial climb, both engines lost power simultaneously. The crew attempted an emergency landing on a soccer field when the aircraft crash landed near a motorway. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

On February 2, 2000, about 1407 eastern standard time, a Beech D18S, N122V, registered to South Florida Aircraft Leasing, Inc., operated by Florida Air Cargo, Inc., was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 47 miles east of Bimini, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 135 non-scheduled, international, cargo flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured, one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 1305 from the Opa Locka Airport, Opa Locka, Florida. The pilot stated that the flight departed with all five fuel tanks full of fuel and departed with the left fuel selector positioned to the "main tank" position. The flight continued and approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, he switched the left fuel selector to the auxiliary position and remained on that tank for approximately 35 minutes. When the flight was approximately 20 miles east of Bimini, he switched the left fuel selector to the main tank position where it remained for 5 minutes before he added climb power. While about 45 miles east of Bimini, climbing through 2,300 feet with a good rate of climb, the left manifold pressure dropped to 27 inches and the propeller rpm dropped to 1,300. He turned to fly to Bimini, broadcast a mayday call, and reported no unusual vibration; the fuel pressure and oil pressure gauges indicated normal. He repositioned the fuel selector but the left engine would not restart. He then feathered the left propeller and secured the engine but was unable to maintain altitude with full power applied to the right engine. The airplane was ditched in a slight left wing low attitude and the left engine separated from the airframe. Both occupants exited the airplane, remained in the water for 47 minutes, then were spotted by a U.S. Coast Guard Falcon airplane. They were rescued by a pleasure boat and transported to the east coast of Florida.

The twin engine aircraft departed Guadalajara-Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Airport on a flight to Uruapan, carrying three engineers and two pilots. Shortly after takeoff from runway 28, while in initial climb, the aircraft lost height and crashed. All five occupants were killed.