BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A Preliminary Report into the fatal Fly Montserrat plane crash at the VC Bird International Airport in Antigua was released on Friday (Oct. 12) by the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA).
At approximately 4:16 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 7), a nine-seater Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander, Registration FlyMontserrat flight 107, destined for Montserrat, had taken off from the VC Bird International Airport’s Runway Seven and crashed onto Runway 10 shortly after being airborne.
The pilot, Captain Jason Forbes from Antigua and 29-year-old Annya Duncan of Jamaica were killed when the small aircraft plummeted to the ground on its nose.
Two other passengers, 23-year-old British citizen Michael Hudson and 57-year-old Sandrama Poligadu of Guyana were extracted from the wreckage and rushed to the Mount St. John’s Medical Centre, where the latter died shortly after arrival.
However, recent reports indicate that Hudson, who was said to have arrived at the medical institution in an unconscious state and in critical condition, is now sitting up in bed, alert and talking.
He has since undergone surgery for a broken right leg, which has been fitted with a steel rod. His right arm is in a cast and he has several cuts and bruises on his body, including his forehead.
Conflicting reports had earlier emanated from Antigua concerning atmospheric conditions at the time of the crash.
According to the Antigua Observer Media Group, local meteorological chiefs had revealed concerns that the weather on Sunday was not ideal and that alarm bells rang moments after the tragic incident, regarding “whether atmospheric conditions were a contributing factor in the horrific smash”.
The media house noted that despite the island-wide thunderstorms and lightning experienced on Sunday, the Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua & Barbuda Airport Authority, Stanley Smith, told a news conference on that night that the weather was good at the time of the incident.
The Antigua Observer Media Group quoted Smith as saying, “From the report we are actually getting from the airport control tower the weather control was good.”
It however noted that Met Services Director Keithly Meade said an upper level trough was lingering in the area for quite some time, which created unstable conditions on the island.
Additionally, the media group said Meade noted that the instability had caused developing thunderstorms and lightning around 2:00 p.m. which continued until shortly before 4:00 p.m. – mere moments before the incident.
“The conditions were something to be a bit careful about. Looking at the radar from home I could see quite a bit of build up in the Coolidge area with some heavy thunderstorms. That activity was moving south towards the Carlisle area,” Meade said.
Meade also said that as the weather system continued later into the afternoon, information was conveyed to air traffic controllers on an hourly basis, but he however noted that even though the information was passed on, the final decision clearing aircraft to fly was left up to the authorities.
“Based on the information we have, it is passed on to the control authority to make them aware of what is going on,” Meade said, adding that the information is also passed on to the pilot upon request.
Below is the Preliminary Report in its entirety and the ECCAA has indicated that “a comprehensive accident report will be published in due course”.
PRELIMINARY REPORT
AA NO.7AC/1/99
ACCIDENT
Aircraft Type and Registration: Britten-Norman BN2A-26 Islander, VP-MON serial number 082)
No & Type of Engines: 2 Lycoming O-540-E4C5 piston engines
Year of Manufacture: 1969
Location V.C. Bird International Airport, Antigua (TAPA)
Date & Time (UTC): 7 October 2012 at 2010 hrs
Type of Flight: Commercial Air Transport (Passenger)
Persons on Board: Crew: 1 Passengers: 3
Injuries: Crew 1 (fatal)
Passengers 2 (fatal)
1 (serious)
Nature of Damage: Aircraft destroyed
Commander's Licence: Commercial Pilot's Licence
Commander's Age: 31 years
Commander's Flying Experience: 710 hours total of which 510 were on type
Last 28 days- 25 hours
Last 24 hours – 0.5 hours
Information Source: ECCAA Accident Investigation
All times in this report are UTC; Antigua time is UTC - 4 hrs
The investigation
The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority was informed of the accident immediately, and senior staff attended the accident site without delay.
The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority began an investigation under the Antigua and Barbuda Civil Aviation Regulations 2004. In accordance with established international arrangements, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) of the United Kingdom, representing the State of Design and Manufacture of the aircraft, and (through its registration in a British Overseas Territory) the State of Operator, appointed an Accredited Representative to participate in the investigation. The AAIB Accredited Representative is supported by an AAIB Advisor. Britten-Norman, the aircraft manufacturer, has been informed of the accident and has offered assistance. Air Safety Support International (ASSI), which performs regulatory oversight of the aircraft operator, has been informed of the accident and is cooperating with the investigation. Montserrat Airways Limited, the operator, is also cooperating with the investigation.
Initial investigative activity focused on examination of the aircraft wreckage and accident site, gathering of evidence from witnesses, and examination of technical records. Further investigation will encompass all operational and engineering matters relevant to the accident. A comprehensive accident report will be published in due course.
History of the flight
The aircraft, which had flown earlier during the day, was on a commercial air transport (passenger) flight from V.C. Bird International Airport, Antigua (TAPA), to John A. Osborne Airport, Montserrat (TRPG), with the pilot and three passengers on board. Weather conditions at the time of departure were good, though convective clouds and heavy rain showers had passed over the airport while the aircraft was parked before flight.
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft was observed to yaw to the right, and to cease climbing. The aircraft then descended rapidly, apparently out of control. The aircraft impacted the ground within the airport perimeter, right wingtip first and steeply banked to the right, at low forward speed. Ground marks and damage to the wing tips and nose indicate that the aircraft cart-wheeled before coming to rest erect. The fuselage forward of the wings was destroyed; there was comparatively less damage to the rear part of the aircraft.
The pilot and two passengers, both of whom were seated in the forward part of the cabin, were fatally injured. Another passenger, seated in the rear-most row of seats, was seriously injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
Examination of the wreckage indicates that the number two (right-hand) engine was not producing power at the time of impact, and investigation of the fuel system feeding that engine found significant quantities of water.
Following failure of one of the two engines on the Islander aircraft, the failed engine's propeller should be feathered, to reduce the drag produced. Following successful feathering, continued flight should be possible. Examination of the right-hand propeller showed that it was not in the feathered position.
Disclaimer: This bulletin contains facts which have been determined up to the time of issue. This information is published to inform the aviation industry and the public of the general circumstances of accidents and must necessarily be regarded as tentative and subject to alteration or correction if additional evidence becomes available.
Extracts can be published without specific permission providing that the source is duly acknowledged.
© copyright East Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority 2012
