Central America

On the 18th October 2019, at approximately 4:30 PM local time, a Douglas DC-3C aircraft, registration N437GB crashed in the ocean; at coordinates 25°05.55N 077°30.29W, approximately 2.87miles from Runway 14 at the Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN) Nassau, Bahamas. There were 2 souls on board. The pilot reported that the left engine failed approximately 25-30 nautical miles from MYNN. The pilot further stated that during single engine operation, the aircraft performance was not optimal so the decision was made to land the aircraft in the ocean. The Air Traffic Control tower was notified by the crew of N437GB, that they will be performing a control water landing. The Royal Bahamas Defense Force was notified. Rescue efforts were then put into place. No injuries were received by the occupants of the aircraft. Aircraft could not be located for physical analysis to be carried out. The weather at the time of the accident was visual meteorological conditions and not a factor in this accident. A limited scope investigation was conducted, no safety message or recommendations were issued.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 11 at Monterrey-Del Norte Airport, while in initial climb, the single engine airplane lost height and crashed on a highway located past the runway end. Fortunately, the airplane did not struck any vehicles and eventually crashed in a field, about 15 meters below the motorway. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Apparently engaged in an illegal flight, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Blue Creek after the crew attempted to land on a dirt road. The aircraft crashed and came to rest, broken in two. All occupants escaped from the area and no one was found in the airplane. Also, it was reported that no contraband was found on board.

The airplane was apparently engaged in an illegal flight, carrying a crew of two. It crashed in unknown circumstances near Champerico, Guatemala, and was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. According to the flight plan, the aircraft was supposed to fly from Zihuatanejo to Chetumal with one passenger and two crew members. Guatemalan authorities reported that the flight was illegal and that the aircraft was presumed transporting a load of cocaine.

The airplane departed Las Vegas-McCarran Airport at 1452LT on a charter flight to Monterrey, carrying two pilots and 11 passengers who were returning to Mexico after taking part to a boxing match in Las Vegas. The flight was completed at FL370 until the crew was cleared to climb to FL390 for five minutes then to FL410. Suddenly, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and eventually crashed in an almost flat attitude in a desert area located near La Rosita, Coahuila. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 13 occupants were killed. The wreckage was found the following day.

In the morning, the Guatemala Army Forces were informed by ATC that a PA-31 entered the Guatemala Airspace without prior permission. The twin engine airplane crashed in a wooded area located near the farm of Sepens located in the region of Sayaxché, Petén. The aircraft was partially destroyed by impact forces and both occupants were killed. A sticker was set on the fuselage with the registration N2613 which is wrong.

The twin engine airplane departed Venezuela in the evening on a probable drug smuggling flight with an unknown destination. At 2226LT, after it entered the Dominican Airspace, a crew of the Dominican Air Force was dispatched with an Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano but the PA-31 disappeared from radar screens at 2228LT after crashing in a sugar cane field located in the region of San Rafael de Yuma, between La Romana and Punta Cana. Due to limited visibility caused by night and poor weather conditions, SAR operations were suspended shortly after midnight. The wreckage was found in the next early morning. Nobody was found on site and the aircraft is probably written off. The registration YV312 may be a wrong one.

The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated and uninhabited area located about 14 km east of Bajamar, Honduras. The airplane was engaged in an illegal mission (drug smuggling flight) as a pack of cocaine and a gun were found in the wreckage. The crew disappeared and was not recovered.

The aircraft was engaged in an illegal flight, carrying two pilots and a load of 200 kg of cocaine. En route, the crew apparently encountered an unexpected situation and was forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a wooded area located near San Pedro de Peralta. A pilot was killed while the second was seriously injured. Originally registered N299GS, the aircraft was cancelled from the US registered on 15 February 2018 and exported to Mexico. The registration N18BA is false.

Following an uneventful flight, the crew configured the aircraft for landing when he realized that the right main landing gear was stuck in its wheel well. The crew continued the approach and landed on runway 15. The airplane fell on its belly, causing the right wing to struck the ground. The airplane slid for few hundred metres then veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. All nine occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.