What happened
On May 25, 2010, at approximately 18:30 EDT, a Piper PA-23-250 aircraft, registration N1526T, crashed into the sea near North Bimini, Bahamas. The flight departed from South Bimini Airport on runway 09. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft began a left turn toward North Bimini.
According to eyewitness accounts, the aircraft was flying at an altitude of approximately 20 feet above the water when it struck two sets of power and telephone lines. The impact severed the wings and caused fuel to spray onto trees along the flight path. Witnesses reported a fireball following the initial contact with the lines, and a second explosion occurred after the aircraft struck trees. The aircraft subsequently crashed into the sea, leaving only small pieces of debris visible on the surface.
There were 2 fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft, consisting of the pilot and one passenger. Additionally, 2 persons on the ground sustained serious injuries from burns after being in the path of the crash.