What happened
On the morning of January 17, 2018, a Piper Aztec PA23-250, registered N62769, departed San Andros International Airport bound for Nassau, Bahamas. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft established contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC) to request weather information. However, radar observations soon showed the aircraft reversing course toward the departure airport.
During this period, the aircraft performed several unauthorized maneuvers, including erratic climbs, descromatized descents, and various heading changes without ATC clearance. The aircraft eventually disappeared from radar screens. The impact occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately four nautical miles southeast of Mastic Point, Andros. The accident resulted in 6 fatalities, including the pilot and five passengers.
The investigation
The Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) initiated an investigation following the aircraft being reported overdue. While initial recovery efforts were difficult, wreckage was located by local fishermen in February 2018. Investigators examined the aircraft's maintenance records, the pilot's licensing credentials, and meteorological data from the time of the accident.
Technical analysis of the wreckage confirmed that the aircraft was properly maintained and that no mechanical failures or pre-impact system malfunctions contributed to the crash. The investigation also focused on the pilot's qualifications, noting that the pilot held a US-issued private pilot certificate with a VFR-only limitation for multi-engine aircraft, and that his medical certificate had been expired since late 2015.
Findings
- The aircraft was in a condition for safe operation with no mechanical defects found.
- The pilot was operating the aircraft in marginal visual meteorological conditions involving rain and reduced visibility.
- The pilot lacked the necessary instrument rating to legally operate a multi-engine aircraft in such weather.
- The pilot was conducting unauthorized commercial operations, having completed over 100 flights for remuneration in the months prior to the accident.
- The primary cause of the accident was human factors error, specifically the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft, likely due to spatial disorientation and a lack of situational awareness while flying in weather conditions for which he was not proficient.