What happened
On December 20, 2000, a Cessna 402B, registration N908AB, was performing a domestic air taxi service from Nosara to San Jose, Costa Rica. Shortly after departing from the Nosara airfield, the aircraft experienced a loss of power in one of its engines during the initial climb phase. Due to the reduction in thrust, the aircraft was unable to sustain its altitude.
As the crew attempted to manage the emergency, the plane struck trees, which subsequently triggered a fire at the crash site. The aircraft was destroyed during the impact and subsequent blaze. At the time of the incident, the weather was characterized by visual meteorological conditions, and the flight had not filed a formal flight plan. The flight was in its initial departure phase when the accident occurred.
Findings
- The accident resulted in two serious injuries (the pilot and one passenger) and five minor injuries among the remaining passengers.
- The primary factor leading to the crash was the loss of engine power during the climb following takeoff.