San Pedro – Belize City-International – Belize City-Municipal

On July 23, 1997 at 07:24 AM, San Pedro – Belize City-International – Belize City-Municipal experienced a crash involving Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair, operated by Tropic Air, with the event recorded near Belize City-Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Belize.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a city crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. 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.

Aircraft reference details include registration V3-HFD, MSN 207-0676, year of manufacture 1981.