Maiquetía – Porlamar

On July 4, 2017 at 01:43 PM, Maiquetía – Porlamar experienced a crash involving Gulfstream GIII, operated by Servicio Autónomo de Transporte Aéreo - SATA, with the event recorded near Punta Arenas Nueva Esparta.

The flight was categorized as government and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

9 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 6, passenger fatalities: 6, other fatalities: 0.

While approaching the Island of Margarita, en route from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport to Porlamar, the crew encountered control difficulties and informed ATC about hydraulic problems. The crew initiated a rapid descent to 3,000 feet apparently to ditch the aircraft when it went out of control and crashed in the sea about 16 km west off Punta Arenas. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and only few debris were found floating on water. All nine occupants were killed, among them officers flying on behalf of the Vice-Presidency of the Venezuelan Government.

Aircraft reference details include registration YV2896, MSN 469, year of manufacture 1986.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 10.9746°, -64.3991°.