The public
is advised that the Department of Civil Aviation is now in possession of a
Preliminary Report on the Freeport, Grand Bahama aircraft crash which took the
lives of nine persons, at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 9th, 2014. The narrative of that report is now being
released by that Department. The report was prepared by the Air Accident
Investigation and Prevention Unit (AAIPU) of the Department on November 20th,
2014, and it contains specifics on the aircraft and crew, and on the weather conditions
and flight details.
According to the AAIPU report, both pilots Captain Stanley
Thurston, and First Officer Frahkan Cooper were licensed and certified by the
Federal Aviation Administration, and were in possession of valid first class
medical certificates, which were issued in November, 2014. Day instrument meteorological conditions
prevailed upon the departure of the aircraft from Odyssey Aviation, and an
instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the 24 minute flight to
Freeport. The Preliminary Report has also confirmed that The Bahamas Area
Forecast published on November 9th, 2014 by The Bahamas
Meteorological Department advised that there was a frontal boundary over the
northwest Bahamas and lower, moving over the northern Bahamas.
Details provided in
the Preliminary Report indicate that the aircraft uploaded 160 gallons of fuel
prior to its departure from Odyssey Aviation, was provided with the current
weather conditions upon contact with Freeport Air Traffic Control, and was
cleared for an instrument approach.
However, the aircraft was unable to land in Freeport on its first
attempt, due to heavy rain showers and reduced visibility, and the crew
therefore executed a missed approach. It was during the return for the second
approach, while attempting to visually locate the runway, and following
deteriorating weather due to rain and haze, that the aircraft struck a crane in
the Grand Bahama shipyard and crashed.
The AAIPU is being assisted in its
investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, (NTSB) the Federal
Aviation Administration, (FAA) and Bombardier, the manufacturer of the
aircraft. The team will re-assemble at
the NTSB Headquarters in Washington in December, 2014 to continue its
investigations.
Dr. Myles Munroe among 9 dead in Grand Bahama plane crash
REPORT ATTACHED BELOW: