Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Duncan Town Burkina Faso
Friday, August 19, 1988 14:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED IN THE OCEAN NR DUNCAN TOWN, BAHAMAS. THE WX ACCORDING TO WITNESSES WAS VMC. THE FLT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE ENROUTE FROM NASSAU FOR ABOUT 1 HR AND 20 MINUTES. WITNESSES ON A NEARBY BOAT SAID THE ACFT WAS FLYING IN A SLIGHT LEFT BANK WHEN THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED THE WATER. THE WRECKAGE SANK WHERE THE WATER WAS ABOUT 50 FT DEEP. THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING PANEL WAS RECOVERED AND EXAMINED AT THE NTSB LAB. ALL FRACTURES WERE FOUND TO BE FROM OVERSTRESS. NO PREEXISTING CRACKS WERE FOUND AND NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE OR FAILURE FROM CORROSION. THE WING TIP HAD CRUSHING DAMAGE AND A BLUE PAINT TRANSFER AS IF FROM A COLLISION. THE PARTLY BLUE VERTICAL STAB WAS DAMAGED FROM THE SEPARATED WING SECT STRIKING IT. THE WX REPORTED EN ROUTE WAS: BROKEN TO OVERCAST WITH RAIN SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. EXAM OF THE LATER RECOVERED INBOARD LEFT WING SECTION SHOWED SEPARATION OF THE OUTBOARD WING SECTION RESULTED FROM OVERSTRESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DUNCAN TOWN
Event State --
Event Country BURKINA FASO
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1925
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38194
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39272
NTSB Number MIA88FA260
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PARTENAVIA
Aircraft Model P-68C
Aircraft Series Identifier P-68C
Aircraft Serial Number 283
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/Foreign Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MTD AIR SERVICES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 100 W 10
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name M D AIR SERVICES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 100 W 10
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State DE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19801
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYNN
Departure City NASSAU
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 1312
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City DUNCAN TOWN
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --