Belize City – San Pedro

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.

Flight / Schedule

Belize City – San Pedro

Registration

V3-HFW

MSN

208B-0791

Year of Manufacture

1999

Operator

Tropic Air

Date

March 9, 2005 at 05:20 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Belize City-Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Belize

Region

Central America • Belize

Crash Cause

Weather

Narrative Report

On March 9, 2005 at 05:20 PM, Belize City – San Pedro experienced a crash involving Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, 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 takeoff (climb) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

14 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 14 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: 13, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is weather. 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.

Aircraft reference details include registration V3-HFW, MSN 208B-0791, year of manufacture 1999.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

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.

Cause: Weather

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

13

Estimated Survivors

14

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 14

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Belize City – San Pedro

Operator

Tropic Air

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Central America • Belize

Aircraft Details

Registration

V3-HFW

MSN

208B-0791

Year of Manufacture

1999

Similar Plane Crashes

November 1, 1961 at 12:00 AM7 Fatalities

Mexican Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Mexicana

Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan

The twin engine aircraft was completing an ambulance flight from Chetumal to Belize City, carrying one patient, one accompanist, two doctors and three crew members. As the airplane failed to arrive at Belize City Airport, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the seven occupants was found. It is believed the aircraft has crashed into the sea off the Belize coast.

January 6, 1962 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

TAN Airlines - Transportes Aéreos Nacionales de Honduras

Curtiss C-46 Commando

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.

August 3, 1975 at 12:00 AM

Robert L. Vaughn

Convair CV-240

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.

May 19, 1976 at 12:00 AM

F %26 B Livestock Corporation

Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation

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.

February 22, 1977 at 12:00 AM

Maya Airways

Britten-Norman Islander

While on a cargo flight, the pilot encountered technical problems with the engines and elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a wooded area located near Hill Bank. the pilot was rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

January 5, 1989 at 07:39 AM

Federal Express - FedEx

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Pilot said he encountered severe to extreme turbulence upon reaching missed approach point and felt aircraft might stall if he began immediate right turn as called for in missed approach procedure. Pilot said he made left turn at 15 DME (missed approach point is at 11.5 DME) because there was higher terrain to right. Aircraft collided with trees on mountain 3 miles east of airport. Weather analysis indicated potential for light to moderate turbulence but not severe to extreme turbulence. Pilots landing and departing airport prior to and after accident reported light to moderate chop. Radar showed aircraft speed at 183.1 kts between iaf and faf. Between faf and missed approach point, aircraft speed was 95.7 kts. Pilot said he referred to current commercial instrument approach chart while executing approach. Only obsolete government instrument approach book was found in aircraft. Radios were not tuned to missed approach navaids. Pilot-rated passenger said pilot panicked after encountering turbulence.