Incident Overview

Description
The Sabreliner 60 with registration XB-JMR departed Guadalajara, Mexico, on a domestic flight plan with two pilots on board for Quertaro in. On reaching a cruising altitude of 20,000 feet the crew changed course and shortly after disappeared off Mexican Radar. Mexican Authorities suspect the transponder was turned off by the crew. The aircraft entered the Kingston Flight Information Region (KIN FIR) without a filed flight plan, south of Jamaica and at approximately 18:14 local the crew declared an emergency. The crew reported to Air Traffic Control that they were at 10,000 feet and 14 miles from land and on a heading of 055 degrees. The crew requested instructions to land at the nearest airport due to one engine shut down. The aircraft was observed on radar heading in a north-east direction in the vicinity of the Vernamfield area then changed direction to a southeast heading. The aircraft began circling the Portland Cottage area in Clarendon, ‘squawking’ Transponder code A1327 and climbing out of 17,000 feet at 18:20 local. Search and Rescue was initiated with the Jamaica Defence Force at 18:22. On reaching 18,000 feet the aircraft disappeared from radar at 18:34 the transponder was possibly turned off by the crew. The aircraft impacted the shoreline southeast of the White Sand Beach area of Rocky Point in Clarendon. As seats were removed, there is a suspicion of drugs transport. The occupants fled the scene.
Source of Information
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Small_airplane_crashes_in_Clarendon, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20210123/small-plane-crashes-rocky-point-clarendon, https://www.jcaa.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Occurence-Rept-XB-JMR0001..pdfhttp://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Small_airplane_crashes_in_Clarendon, http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20210123/small-plane-crashes-rocky-point-clarendon, https://www.jcaa.gov.jm/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Occurence-Rept-XB-JMR0001..pdfPrimary Cause
Possible crew error or malfunction leading to loss of altitude and disappearance.Possible crew error or malfunction leading to loss of altitude and disappearance.Share on: