Accident description
Last updated: 21 May 2013
| Status: | Preliminary - official |
| Date: | 27 DEC 2002 |
| Time: | ca 18:00 |
| Type: | Cessna 208B Grand Caravan |
| Operator: | Tropic Air |
| Registration: | V3-HGH |
| C/n / msn: | 208B-0930 |
| First flight: | 2002 |
| Engines: | 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 13 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 14 |
| Airplane damage: | Substantial |
| Airplane fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | off San Pedro Airport (SPR) (Belize)
 |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Belize City-Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE/MZBZ), Belize |
| San Pedro Airport (SPR), Belize |
The Caravan departed Belize City for an IFR flight to San Pedro (SPR). The fight approached runway 06/24 amidst rain showers. About 2.5 miles away from the runway threshold, at an altitude of about 400 feet the pilot started reducing power to maintain a speed of 120 knots for flap deployment, when suddenly there was an indication of a 1,000 feet per minute descent rate on the VSI. The pilot increased power to initiate a climb, however the airplane continued to descend and impacted the water.
The Caravan was a brand new model, delivered February 2002.
Events:
Sources:
» News 5
» NTSB
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Belize City-Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport to San Pedro Airport as the crow flies is 55 km (34 miles).
Distance from Belize City-Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport to San Pedro Airport as the crow flies is 55 km (34 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
