Aero Commander 500-B ditching near Roseau, Dominica

2 fatalities • Marigot-Douglas-Charles (ex Melville Hall), Dominica • Flight

An Aero Commander 500-B operating as an air-taxi flight ditched into the Atlantic Ocean on May 31, 2002, resulting in one confirmed fatality.

What happened

On May 31, 2002, at approximately 13:15 Atlantic standard time, an Aero Commander 500-B, registration N78336, disappeared after ditching into the Atlantic Ocean near Roseau, Dominica. The aircraft was being operated by Bevins Air Service Inc. as a Part 135 air-taxi service for passengers and cargo. The flight departed from Melville Hall Airport in Roseau at 12:40.

Prior to the accident, the pilot contacted Guadeloupe Air Traffic Control to report that the aircraft was encountering engine difficulties and intended to return to Dominica. The aircraft was tracked on radar approximately six miles north of the island before it was lost. While the aircraft itself remains missing and is believed to be destroyed, one passenger was recovered from the ocean on June 4, 2002. The pilot remains missing and is presumed to have been fatally injured.

Findings

  • The flight was operating under visual meteorological conditions with a filed VFR flight plan.
  • The primary factor leading to the ditching was engine problems reported by the pilot prior to the loss of the aircraft.

Probable cause

The aircraft ditched into the ocean following the report of engine malfunctions during the return flight to Dominica.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2002-05-31 Rockwell Aero Commander 500 accident near Marigot-Douglas-Charles (ex Melville Hall), Dominica?

An Aero Commander 500-B operating as an air-taxi flight ditched into the Atlantic Ocean on May 31, 2002, resulting in one confirmed fatality.

Were there any fatalities in the 2002-05-31 Rockwell Aero Commander 500 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 2 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2002-05-31 involved a Rockwell Aero Commander 500, registration N78336, operated by Bevins Air Service, at Marigot-Douglas-Charles (ex Melville Hall), Dominica.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft ditched into the ocean following the report of engine malfunctions during the return flight to Dominica.

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