What happened
On the afternoon of June 5, 2018, a Cessna 421B departed from Runway 27 at Rocksound International Airport in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft entered a descent at a 40-degree nose-down angle, with the right wing leading the descent. The aircraft struck trees before impacting the ground in a heavily wooded area.
Upon impact, the aircraft created a shallow crater in the earth and crossed a dirt road before coming to a final stop on an upward slope amidst dense bushes. The wreckage was located near the coordinates 24° 53’ 50”N and 076° 11’33”W. A fire broke out following the collision, which, along with the force of the impact, resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were 3 fatalities involving the pilot and two passengers.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage site indicated that the aircraft's flight path took it approximately 8,588 feet from the threshold of Runway 27 and roughly 2,503 feet north of the Runway 09 threshold. The initial contact with trees preceded the final ground impact.