Nassau – Fort Lauderdale
Flight / Schedule
Nassau – Fort Lauderdale
Aircraft
Rockwell Shrike Commander 500Registration
N501AP
MSN
500-3224
Year of Manufacture
1974
Operator
Gramar 500Date
June 9, 2008 at 02:01 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Ferry
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
Alice Town Bimini
Region
Central America • Bahamas
Coordinates
25.7279°, -79.2960°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On June 9, 2008 at 02:01 PM, Nassau – Fort Lauderdale experienced a crash involving Rockwell Shrike Commander 500, operated by Gramar 500, with the event recorded near Alice Town Bimini.
The flight was categorized as ferry and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. On June 9, 2008, about 1401 eastern daylight time, an Aero Commander 500S, N501AP, registered to and operated by Gramar 500, Inc., experienced a loss of engine power in both engines and was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean about 1/2 mile south of North Bimini, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight from Nassau International Airport (MYNN), Nassau, Bahamas, to Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The airplane was destroyed due to salt water immersion, and the airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The pilot stated that when the flight was past Bimini, the right engine started running rough and losing power. He turned southeast to enter a left base for runway 09 at South Bimini Airport, and the left engine also began to run rough and lost power. The pilot ditched the aircraft, evacuated into a life raft, and was rescued by a pleasure boater. The pilot also stated that 25 gallons of fuel were added while at MYNN, for a total fuel supply of 90 gallons. Both engines were test run 8 days after the accident using a test propeller. Both engines ran to near maximum RPM. One magneto from each engine was replaced prior to the test run.
Aircraft reference details include registration N501AP, MSN 500-3224, year of manufacture 1974.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 25.7279°, -79.2960°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
On June 9, 2008, about 1401 eastern daylight time, an Aero Commander 500S, N501AP, registered to and operated by Gramar 500, Inc., experienced a loss of engine power in both engines and was ditched in the Atlantic Ocean about 1/2 mile south of North Bimini, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight from Nassau International Airport (MYNN), Nassau, Bahamas, to Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The airplane was destroyed due to salt water immersion, and the airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The pilot stated that when the flight was past Bimini, the right engine started running rough and losing power. He turned southeast to enter a left base for runway 09 at South Bimini Airport, and the left engine also began to run rough and lost power. The pilot ditched the aircraft, evacuated into a life raft, and was rescued by a pleasure boater. The pilot also stated that 25 gallons of fuel were added while at MYNN, for a total fuel supply of 90 gallons. Both engines were test run 8 days after the accident using a test propeller. Both engines ran to near maximum RPM. One magneto from each engine was replaced prior to the test run.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
1
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Nassau – Fort Lauderdale
Operator
Gramar 500Flight Type
Ferry
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
Central America • Bahamas
Aircraft Details
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