Belize

After landing at Belize City-Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport in marginal weather conditions, the single engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its right main gear, plunged into the sea and came to rest in shallow water. All six occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

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 Orange Walk Airport at 0700LT for a 30 miles flight to Corozal, North Belize. After 15 minutes, the pilot encountered engine problems and elected to ditch the aircraft about 4 miles south of High Bluff. The aircraft sank in shallow water (about 5 feet deep). All 6 occupants were rescued by the crew of a boat.

Shortly after takeoff from Belize City-Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport, while in initial climb, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in the sea, coming to rest upside down in shallow water. All 14 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The single engine aircraft landed at the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport from San Pedro Airport, Ambergris Caye, with two passengers. The pilot remained in the aircraft on the apron while the two passengers disembarked. After receiving clearance from the Air Traffic Control Tower, V3-HFD, with no passengers, took off at 0720LT for the Belize City Municipal Airport. At 0722LT, the pilot reported by the Haulover Bridge and was instructed by ATC to change to frequency 122.8 MHz, which is the common broadcast frequency where pilots transmit their positions and intentions to each other. No further radio transmissions or distress calls were made to ATC after the pilot reported to Haulover Bridge. While approaching Belize City Municipal Airport at a very low altitude, the aircraft struck power cables and crashed onto a house located in the district Belama Phase 2, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 3 km southwest of runway 12 threshold. The pilot was killed and one people on the ground was injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

On approach to San Pedro Airport runway 06, the aircraft was number 2 for landing. A Cessna 207, V3-HER was ahead and had broadcast its intention to land. A Tropic Air Twin Otter, call sign Tango Alfa, on the ground, requested that N402BL go around to allow Tango Alfa to takeoff because the ramp was full. N402BL acknowledged and was seen making a left turn with wheels down. No further communication was heard from N402BL. The aircraft was seen flying very low with wheels down and flaps down in a southerly direction and as it crossed the shoreline south of the airstrip the aircraft made a sharp left turn and crashed into the sea about 200 yards from the beach at approximately 1500 hours. The aircraft struck nose first then righted itself and sank in water about five feet deep. There was no fire. Boats in the vicinity reached the accident site within a few minutes and reported that all eight occupants were dead inside the aircraft.

While flying 100 km east of Belize City on a cargo flight from Tegucigalpa to Miami, the engine n°1 failed. The crew was cleared to divert to Belize City and few minutes later, the propeller detached from engine n°1 and struck the engine n°2. The propeller on engine n°2 was feathered and on approach, the crew was unable to lower the left main gear that remained partially retracted and could not be locked down. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go-around and to recycle the gear, without success. Eventually, the crew completed a landing with the left main gear partially retracted. Upon touchdown, the left wing touched the runway surface and the airplane veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. While all three crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and was cleared to divert to Belize City for an emergency landing. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Shortly after takeoff from Belize City-Philip S. W. Goldson Airport, while climbing, the left engine failed. The airplane banked left, stalled and crashed in a dense wooded area located near the airfield. A crew member was killed while the second pilot was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. It was determined that at the time of the accident, the total weight of the aircraft was 500 pound over the MTOW, which probably contributed to the engine failure.