What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 4, 2019, about 0154 eastern daylight time, an Agusta s.p.a. AW139, N32CC, owned by challenger management LLC, impacted the atlantic ocean near big Grand Cay, abaco, Bahamas. The commercial pilot, airline transport rated co-pilot, and five passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged.
The helicopter was being operated under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for a flight from walker?s cay airport (myaw), walker?s cay, Bahamas, to fort lauderdale/hollywood international airport (fll), fort lauderdale, Florida. The flight originated about 0153 from a concrete pad located at big Grand Cay, abaco, Bahamas.
The purpose of the flight was to transport two of the individuals who were reportedly ill from big Grand Cay, Bahamas to fort lauderdale, Florida, for medical evaluation/treatment.
There was no contact with Bahamas air traffic control or FAA air traffic control during the accident flight. Several FAA radar targets were noted.
At 1521, a FAA alert notice (alnot) was disseminated for the overdue helicopter. The wreckage was located between 1600 and 1700 hours on July 4, 2019, in approximately 16 feet of water.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 4, 2019, ABOUT 0154 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AGUSTA S.P.A. AW139, N32CC, OWNED BY CHALLENGER MANAGEMENT LLC, IMPACTED THE ATLANTIC OCEAN NEAR BIG GRAND CAY, ABACO, BAHAMAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED CO-PILOT, AND FIVE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. DARK NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR A FLIGHT FROM WALKER?S CAY AIRPORT (MYAW), WALKER?S CAY, BAHAMAS, TO FORT LAUDERDALE/HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FLL), FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 0153 FROM A CONCRETE PAD LOCATED AT BIG GRAND CAY, ABACO, BAHAMAS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TRANSPORT TWO OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE REPORTEDLY ILL FROM BIG GRAND CAY, BAHAMAS TO FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, FOR MEDICAL EVALUATION/TREATMENT.
THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH BAHAMAS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL OR FAA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. SEVERAL FAA RADAR TARGETS WERE NOTED.
AT 1521, A FAA ALERT NOTICE (ALNOT) WAS DISSEMINATED FOR THE OVERDUE HELICOPTER. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BETWEEN 1600 AND 1700 HOURS ON JULY 4, 2019, IN APPROXIMATELY 16 FEET OF WATER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.