Cockburn Town - Montego Bay

On May 5, 1974 at 05:30 AM, Cockburn Town - Montego Bay experienced a crash involving Cessna 411, operated by Tulakes Aviation Company, with the event recorded near Braco Trelawny.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. At about 0530LT, the aircraft was fired upon by soldiers of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) as it was attempting to take off from the Braco Airfield near Discovery Bay. The plane crashed and burned at the edge of the runway. The occupants escaped the fire but the pilot was seriously injured as the passenger was slightly wounded. According to the JDF, the pilot was attempting to take off shortly after he had landed and after the JDF had ordered him to halt. The aircraft was fired upon only after it had refused to obey the order and after it had run the JDF men off the runway. The JDF found several thousands US$ in cash on the two Americans and a load Smith & Wesson revolver. He was later reported that the aircraft had an engine trouble en route from Turks & Caicos Islands to Montego Bay. Jamaican Authorities reported to the US DEA that they saw the aircraft arrive in Braco Airfield and after landing, the pilot climbed on a wing and signaled with a flashlight. When challenged, he reentered the aircraft and attempted to run down the guard. At this point the JDF guards opened fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration N4925T, MSN 411-0125, year of manufacture 1965.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 18.4697°, -77.4947°.