1980 — Sep 12, Florida Commuter Airlines Crash (plane lost) off Freeport, Bahamas — 34
— 34 Eckert. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” AJFMP, 1982, Table 1.[1]
— 34 NTSB. Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB-AAR-81-5) Florida Commuter Airlines, Inc…
— 34 Planecrashinfo.com. “1980. Accident Details. Florida Commuter Air…Off Freeport…”
Narrative Information
Baugher: “Douglas C-53-DO…. 20091 (c/n 4861) to USAAF Jan 29, 1942. To civil registry as NC30087 (Northeast Airlines Jun 18, 1944 – Lake Central Airlines Feb 3, 1961, WFU Jul 4, 1967 – Midwest Airways – Airline Training Inc Ft Lauderdale, FL 1970), N75KW (AAT Airlines, operated with Air Sunshine colors 1974 – D. N. Barnes, Rockville, MD 1975, becoming LAAT Airlines Jan 1978 – Air Tours Aug 25, 1979 – Scheerer Air Inc, W Palm Beach, FL Dec 12, 1979 – Leased to McRobertson Air Dec 26, 1979, later to Florida Commuter Airlines). Crashed 3 mi W of West End, Grand Bahama Island Sep 12, 1980.” (Baugher, Joseph F. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-13297 to 24339). 11-7-2011 rev.)
NTSB: “Synopsis
“On September 12, 1980, at 2035, a Florida Commuter Airlines Douglas DC-3, N75KW, departed West Palm Beach International Airport, Palm Beach, Florida, for Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, on a passenger flight. About 2058, the aircraft crashed in the Atlantic Ocean about 3.5 nmi southwest of West End Settlement, Grand Bahama Island. The last transmission received from N75KW was at 2058 when the first officer reported that the aircraft was descending out of 3,000 feet and acknowledged clearance for the VOR runway 24 approach at Freeport. At the time, low ceilings and low visibility, coupled with moderate turbulence and thunderstorm activity, prevailed in the vicinity of West End Settlement. The 4 crewmembers and 30 passengers on board the aircraft were killed. The aircraft has not been recovered.
“The National Transportation Safety Board is unable to determine the probable cause of this accident from the available evidence. Although the Board has been unable to determine the probable cause with any degree of precision, the following factors may have contributed: (1) flight into known thunderstorm activities and turbulence; (2) preexisting discrepancies in the pitot/static system of the aircraft and their effect on the reliability of the flight instruments; and (3) lack of operational control exercised by the airline’s management.” (NTSB. Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB-AAR-81-5) Florida Commuter Airlines, Inc…, p. 1.)
Plancecrashinfo.com:
“Date: September 12, 1980
“Time: 20:58
“Location: Off Freeport, Bahamas
“Operator: Florida Commuter Airlines
….
“Route: West Palm Beach – Freeport Grand Bahama Islands
….
“Aboard: 34 (passengers: 30 crew: 4)
“Fatalities: 34….
“Summary: “The aircraft crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 3.5 nm SW of West End Settlement in low ceiling and thunderstorm activity. The cause was unable to be determined. Contributing factors include flight into thunderstorm activity, a malfunctioning pitot tube and improper supervision by airline management.” (Planecrashinfo.com.)
Sources
Baugher, Joseph F. 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-13297 to 24339). Nov 7, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1941_3.html
Eckert William G. “Fatal commercial air transport crashes, 1924-1981.” American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol. 3, No. 1, March 1982, Table 1.
National Transportation Safety Board. Aircraft Accident Report. Florida Commuter Airlines, Inc., Douglas DC-3, N75KW, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, September 12, 1980 (NTSB-AAR-81-5). Washington, DC: NTSB, March 20, 1981. Accessed 5-26-2017 at: http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR81-05.pdf
Planecrashinfo.com. “1980. Accident Details. Florida Commuter Air…Off Freeport, Bahamas.” Accessed 5-26-2017 at: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1980/1980-47.htm
[1] Mistakenly dates event as on September 14, 1980.