Accident Summary
On July 20, 2000, at approximately 1312 eastern daylight time, a Douglas DC-3 aircraft, registration N54AA, crashed shortly after takeoff from Nassau International Airport on New Providence Island, Bahamas. The aircraft was operated by Allied Air Freight, Inc. as a Title 14 CFR Part 135 cargo charter flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight had originated about six minutes prior to the accident.
Flight and Incident Details
According to initial reports, after departing from runway 14, the pilot informed the air traffic control tower that he needed to shut down the right engine and would return for an emergency landing on the same runway. Witnesses observed the airplane losing altitude before it crashed approximately two miles from the airport, east of the extended centerline of runway 14. The aircraft was destroyed by a post-crash fire. Both the ATP-rated pilot and the commercially-rated copilot sustained fatal injuries.
Aircraft and Operator Information
The Douglas DC-3, registered as N54AA, was owned by Allied Air Freight, Inc. The flight was conducted under Part 135 regulations for cargo transport. No further details about the aircraft's maintenance history or the pilots' experience were provided in the initial report.