Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crash, Nov 17, 2017, Placencia
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan accident on November 17, 2017 near Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize with no fatalities. Cause: BDCA investigation (report...
- Date: November 17, 2017
- Aircraft: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
- Location: Placencia, Stann Creek, Belize
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: BDCA investigation (report reference A001/11/2017, as summarized by ASN): the driver disregarded the low flying aircraft warning signs and drove into the departure path; the pilot flew low over the road and did not take timely evasive action; the pilot lacked ditching knowledge and the operator gave no ditching training.
On 17 November 2017 a Tropic Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (V3 HGX) departing Placencia Airport, Belize, for Punta Gorda struck a vehicle that had driven into the departure path during initial climb, and the crew reported engine loss. The pilot ditched the aircraft about 200 to 300 feet off shore, and the occupants were rescued by witnesses and passing boats with minor injuries. The Belize Department of Civil Aviation investigation found that the driver ignored low flying aircraft warning signs and that the pilot did not take timely evasive action.