Cessna 340A crash near Grand Bahama International Airport

4 fatalities • Freeport, Bahamas • Landing (descent or approach)

A twin-engine Cessna 340A crashed into the ocean near Freeport, Bahamas, after the pilot reported the aircraft had run out of fuel.

What happened

On 18 August 2014, a Cessna 340A, registered as N340MM, crashed into the sea during an approach to Grand Bahama International Airport. The flight originated from Ormond Beach Municipal Airport under instrument flight rules with a total of four fatalities.

During the descent toward Freeport, the pilot communicated with approach control, receiving weather updates and instructions to transition from an RNAV approach to a visual approach after sighting the airfield. Upon contacting the Freeport Tower at 9:57am local time, the pilot was instructed to join the left base for runway six.

At 10:01am, the pilot notified air traffic control that the aircraft was out of fuel. The pilot expressed an intention to perform a dead-stick landing at the airport from a distance of seven miles at 1,500 feet. One minute later, the pilot transmitted that the aircraft was going down and expected to impact the water approximately five miles north of the airport. Following this final transmission, the aircraft could no longer be reached by the tower.

Search efforts were initiated after an arriving aircraft spotted wreckage in the vicinity of the 300-degree radial of the ZFP VOR. The wreckage was located at coordinates 26˚ 35.708’N and 078˚ 47. 431 W. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, and there were no survivors.

Probable cause

The aircraft crashed into the water after the pilot reported a total depletion of fuel during the approach.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2014-08-18 Cessna 340 accident near Freeport, Bahamas?

A twin-engine Cessna 340A crashed into the ocean near Freeport, Bahamas, after the pilot reported the aircraft had run out of fuel.

Were there any fatalities in the 2014-08-18 Cessna 340 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 4 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2014-08-18 involved a Cessna 340, registration N340MM, operated by Aqua Sun Investments, at Freeport, Bahamas.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft crashed into the water after the pilot reported a total depletion of fuel during the approach.

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