Flight Details
On Saturday, January 23, 2021, a Sabreliner aircraft with registration XB-JMR departed Guadalajara, Mexico, on a domestic flight plan to Queretaro, with two pilots on board. After reaching a cruising altitude of 20,000 feet, the crew changed the destination. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft disappeared from Mexican radar. Mexican authorities suspected that the crew had turned off the transponder.
Emergency Declaration
The aircraft subsequently entered the Kingston Flight Information Region (KIN FIR) south of Jamaica without a filed flight plan. At approximately 6:14 pm local time, the crew declared an emergency, reporting to air traffic control that they were at 10,000 feet, 14 miles from land, on a heading of 055 degrees (northeast). The crew requested instructions to land at the nearest airport due to one engine being shut down.
Search and Rescue
Radar observations showed the aircraft heading northeast in the vicinity of the Vernamfield area, then changing to a southeast heading. At 6:20 pm local, the aircraft was seen circling the Portland Cottage area in Clarendon, squawking transponder code A1327, and climbing out of 17,000 feet. The Jamaica Defence Force initiated search and rescue at 6:22 pm local. At 6:34 pm local, the aircraft, having reached 18,000 feet, disappeared from radar, with the transponder possibly turned off by the crew.
Accident Site
The aircraft impacted the shoreline southeast of the White Sand Beach area of Rocky Point in Clarendon (coordinates 17°45'55.69"N 77°15'42.94"W) at approximately 6:39 pm local.
Investigation
On Sunday, January 24, 2021, personnel from the Operations and Airworthiness units of the Flight Safety Division conducted a site visit, with assistance from security forces. Photographic evidence was collected. The crash site and the aircraft had been vandalized. Preliminary observations suggested the aircraft may have made a gear-up, flaps-up landing. The left-wing leading-edge slats were deployed, indicating low airspeed and a possible high angle of attack at the time of impact.