What happened
On August 19, 2023, a Cessna 402B departed from Fort Lauderdale International Airport (KFLL) at roughly 12:25 pm local time. The flight was destined for North Eleuthera International Airport in the Bahamas, carrying one person on board. While the aircraft was scheduled to return to Fort Lauderdale by 2:00 pm that afternoon, it failed to reach its destination.
At approximately 12:58 pm, air traffic controllers at KFLL monitored the aircraft performing a sudden descent. The plane dropped from an altitude of about 8,400 feet mean sea level to roughly 4,500 feet mean sea level. This rapid descent occurred near coordinates 25.84N 78.90W, situated about 70 nautical miles southeast of Fort Lauderdale and 18 nautical miles northeast of Bimini. Following this descent, the aircraft disappeared from radar tracking.
Following the aircraft's failure to arrive, a multi-agency search and rescue operation was launched. This effort involved the United States Coast Guard, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, and the Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association. Search efforts eventually expanded to include a new position identified by the US Coast Guard at coordinates 25°20'35.00"N 76°59'46.00"W, located 17 nautical miles southwest of North Eleuthera. Operations continued through August 21, 2023, but the aircraft and the pilot remain missing.
Findings
- The aircraft was observed in a rapid descent prior to losing radar contact.