Accident Overview
At approximately 1845 Eastern Daylight Time on August 25, 2001, a Cessna 402B registered as N8097W and operated by Blackhawk International Airways crashed shortly after takeoff from Runway 27 at Marsh Harbour International Airport, Abaco, Bahamas. The aircraft was observed lifting off in a steep, nose-high attitude, climbing to about 40 feet above ground level, then banking left, pitching nose down, and impacting marshy terrain in a left-winged, nose-low attitude. The aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest on an easterly heading approximately 300 feet abeam the runway end. The debris field covered about 135 square feet. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and a post-impact fire occurred. All nine occupants—eight passengers and one pilot—were fatally injured from impact trauma and/or injuries sustained in the post-impact fire.
Aircraft and Operator
The aircraft was a Cessna 402B, serial number 402B1014, owned by Skystream Inc., whose corporate address matched the home address of Gilbert Chacón, who also owned Blackhawk International Airways along with his son Erik. Blackhawk International Airways was an FAA-authorized Part 135 single-pilot operation, with Gilbert Chacón as the only FAA-authorized pilot. However, the pilot in command for this flight was Morales, making the operation a multi-pilot operation in violation of FAA regulations. Blackhawk International Airways was not authorized by the Bahamas Aviation Authority to conduct commercial operations in the Bahamas.
Flight History
The flight was a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) charter from Lantana, Florida to Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, and was intended to return to Opa Locka, Florida. The originally scheduled aircraft was a Cessna 404, but it was changed to the accident Cessna 402B by Gilbert Chacón. No flight plan record was found, and it could not be determined if radio communications were established with Air Traffic Control. The flight was estimated to cover 165 nautical miles in one hour. The aircraft was not required to have a cockpit voice recorder.
Investigation Findings
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate issued by the FAA and had passed a VFR Part 135 check ride in a Cessna 402B on November 26, 2000. Weather conditions at the time were Visual Meteorological Conditions with winds from the east at 3 to 4 knots and a temperature of 86°F. The accident occurred during a downwind departure from Runway 27. Investigators performed engine teardown and propeller disassembly, and examined weight and balance data. Toxicological testing detected benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, in the pilot's system. The FAA had previously issued a letter of correction to Blackhawk International Airways on April 28, 2000, citing non-compliance with manufacturer's recommended maintenance programs and other failures.