Mooney Goes Down Near Freeport Monday Afternoon

Pieces of debris found on beaches along the coast of the Bahamas Tuesday confirm what many feared... that a single-engine aircraft ditched in the ocean Monday afternoon, apparently with no survivors.

Two people were onboard the M20C, according to FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen. The aircraft had taken off from Freeport, bound for St. Lucie, FL shortly before it crashed at 1345 local time.

Identities of the victims weren't available, reports The Treasure Coast Palm. The aircraft, N2943L, is owned by James M. Jones and David L. Castle of Vero Beach, though it has not been confirmed whether either man was onboard the plane (file photo of type, shown below right.)

Air traffic controllers in Freeport lost radar contact with the aircraft just before the crash. It's not known whether the aircraft reported an emergency condition before then.

The Royal Bahamian Defense Force responded to the accident scene. A person onboard a nearby fishing vessel witnessed the accident, though no details about what the person saw were reported.

IDENTIFICATION:

  Regis#: 2943L        Make/Model: MO20      Description: M20, M20A/B/C/D/E/F/G/J/L/R/S, M20K/M (T
  Date: 03/24/2008     Time: 1345

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: BAHAMA 1   State:      Country: BS

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES 20 - 30 MILES WEST OF GRAND
  BAHAMA 1, BAHAMAS

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: VFR

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Cruise      Operation: OTHER

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.thebahamas.com/manifesto/defense.htm