Incident
On September 26, 2017, a Cessna 150G, registration N3214X, departed North Eleuthera Airport (MYEH) at approximately 2:30 pm local time (1830 UTC) en route to Rum Cay (MYRP), Bahamas. The aircraft never arrived at its destination or any surrounding islands. The Air Accident Investigation Department (AAID) was notified of the missing aircraft on October 12, 2017, seventeen days after departure.
Search Efforts
Search and rescue operations were conducted by the US Coast Guard, Royal Bahamas Police Force, and Royal Bahamas Defense Force between North Eleuthera, Freeport, Grand Bahama, and Rum Cay. The searches were eventually suspended. On November 29, 2017, a tire wheel assembly was recovered by a local fisherman on Grand Bahama and later identified as belonging to the aircraft. This tire remains the only piece of the aircraft found to date. On August 21, 2018, following a tip from the NTSB, AAID investigators searched coastal areas of Paradise Island, Rose Island, and Blue Lagoon Island but found no wreckage.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot was a 56-year-old male holding a United States Private Pilot License issued August 22, 2017, with single-engine land privileges and a third-class medical certificate issued the same date, requiring corrective lenses. The aircraft, a Cessna 150G, was a two-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane with a tricycle landing gear. It was registered in the United States to Joe Rush of Edgewood, Texas.
Weather Conditions
Weather observations from Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN), located approximately 50 miles southwest of the departure airport, indicated thunderstorms and cumulonimbus clouds around the time of departure. At 1800 UTC, conditions included wind from 140° at 4 knots, visibility of 4 miles in thunderstorms and light rain, a broken ceiling at 1,400 ft, and overcast at 7,000 ft. At 1900 UTC, winds were calm, visibility 6 miles in thunderstorms, broken ceiling at 1,500 ft, and overcast at 7,000 ft. Radar and satellite imagery showed abundant cloud cover and thunderstorm activity along the intended route.
Pre-Flight Actions
Investigation revealed that the pilot contacted Leidos weather briefing service on September 25, 2017, at 2110 UTC for a flight from Fort Pierce, Florida, to Freeport, Bahamas. However, there was no record of the pilot contacting Leidos or DUATS on September 26, 2017, nor of obtaining weather information from ForeFlight before or during the accident flight. It remains unknown if the pilot received any additional weather information.