Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Freeport Burkina Faso
Monday, March 24, 2008 13:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On March 24, 2008, at about 1345 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N2943L, registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, experienced an in-flight break up off the shore of Grand Bahamas, Bahamas. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from the Grand Bahama International Airport (MYGF), Freeport, Grand Bahamas at 1319. According to the Freeport Approach Control personnel, the pilot departed from MYGF at 1319 enroute to the Port St Lucie County International Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida. The pilot was not in radio communication with the Freeport approach control personnel after his departure, and they did not receive any "MAYDAY" transmissions. Approximately 8 miles west of Grand Bahama Island, a fisherman reported "a loud noise was heard which he thought was thunder and upon looking up, saw what appeared to be an airplane engine falling from the sky. The engine blew up upon hitting the water." Additionally, "several other pieces of what was thought to be an aircraft wing and other pieces of debris fell from the sky." At that point, he maneuvered his boat in the direction of the downed airplane but found only floating debris. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Bahamas. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Flight Standards Inspectorate Civil Aviation Department P.O. Box AP 59244 Nassau International Airport Phone: (242) 377-3457 Facsimile: (242) 377-6060 This report is for information purposes only and contains only information obtained for or released by the Bahamian Government.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2008
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Freeport
Event State --
Event Country BURKINA FASO
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 264054N
Event Location Longitude 0790237W
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 8
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1400 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MYGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 7
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source SROC
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2008 3:48PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami Center

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2943L
NTSB Number MIA08WA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 670077
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David Lee Castle
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4351 9th Place
Aircraft Owner City Vero Beach
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32966
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYGF
Departure City FREEPORT
Departure State --
Departure Country BF
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FPR
Destination City FORT PIERCE
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2008 3:48PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --