Narrative:
Argosy Air lines Flight 902 was operated by DC-3 N407D. The aircraft was to fly to Cuba to pick up 21 US citrus growers who were there on tour.
At 11:24 Flight 902 was cleared to taxi out from the Walkers Cay Jet Center to runway 09L for takeoff. At 11:29 they lifted off from Fort Lauderdale. Weather was fine as the DC-3 reached the cruising altitude of 6000 feet. At 12:25 the flight emerged on Havana's radar scopes, but the air traffic controller could not read any of the messages from the flight due to static. A high altitude plane relayed the messages to Havana and at 12:35 the messages became loud and clear. Eight minutes later the plane disappeared off the radar screens. The search for wreckage was called off at September 24.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Undetermined."
» NTSB
accident date: 21-09-1978
type: Douglas DC-3-277C
registration: N407D
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 21 September 1978 |
| Time: | 12:43 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-3-277C |
| Operator: | Argosy Air Lines |
| Registration: | N407D |
| MSN: | 2244 |
| First flight: | 1940 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Missing |
| Aircraft fate: | Presumed damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | N off Havana, Cuba ( Atlantic Ocean)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL (FLL/KFLL), United States of America |
| Havana-José Martí International Airport (HAV/MUHA), Cuba | |
| Flightnumber: | 902 |
Argosy Air lines Flight 902 was operated by DC-3 N407D. The aircraft was to fly to Cuba to pick up 21 US citrus growers who were there on tour.
At 11:24 Flight 902 was cleared to taxi out from the Walkers Cay Jet Center to runway 09L for takeoff. At 11:29 they lifted off from Fort Lauderdale. Weather was fine as the DC-3 reached the cruising altitude of 6000 feet. At 12:25 the flight emerged on Havana's radar scopes, but the air traffic controller could not read any of the messages from the flight due to static. A high altitude plane relayed the messages to Havana and at 12:35 the messages became loud and clear. Eight minutes later the plane disappeared off the radar screens. The search for wreckage was called off at September 24.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Undetermined."
Classification:
Cause undetermined Sources:
» Bermuda Triangle Mystery web site» NTSB
Photos
accident date: 21-09-1978
type: Douglas DC-3-277C
registration: N407D
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL to Havana-José Martí International Airport as the crow flies is 409 km (256 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
Distance from Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL to Havana-José Martí International Airport as the crow flies is 409 km (256 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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