Incident Overview
On September 21, an aircraft departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport's runway 09L at 1129 local time on a positioning flight to Havana, Cuba, with the purpose of picking up 21 US citizens. While flying over the Florida Strait at an altitude of 6,000 feet in relatively good weather conditions, the crew encountered difficulties in maintaining radio contact with Cuban air traffic control. Messages were subsequently relayed by the crew of another aircraft flying at a higher altitude.
Communication and Disappearance
Eight minutes after radio contact was properly reestablished, the aircraft disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the sea. Search and rescue operations were initiated but were eventually suspended three days later, on September 24, as no trace of the aircraft or the four crew members was found.
Official Findings
Probable Cause: Due to lack of evidence as the wreckage was not found, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.