I'd say he circled around more than once...for a Lear Jet, the run from Nassau to Freeport in good weather is about 20 minutes...he was in the air according to the timeline for over an hour.

I also seem to recall hearing that a Bahamasair plane tried and tried and circled as well and ended up giving up and flying back to Nassau.

Who is this source???? He was on the cellphone with the pilot hey?????

This plane had a 2300 mile range. Surely fuel would not be an issue if fully fueled when it took off.

Fuel vs passengers...it would not be able to carry 7 people and full fuel...but if fuel was an issue at 1 hour into the flight, he was cutting his margins very thin, especially knowing he was going into bad weather.

Comrades isn't the Learjet 35A equipped carry (7) Passengers. It is up Captain decide based upon passengers and cargo weight levels, if they are to cut back on maximum fuel range. Regardless, the FA's requirement is for passenger carrying flights carry enough fuel to continue to an alternate airport plus an additional 45 minutes after that. The alternate airport "has to have good weather" in the forecast. The more the details come out the more I have difficulty with cellular phone calls being made from plane during what obviously is now sounding to have been preparing to land under dangerous weather conditions. There would have been communications with Freeport Tower and the considered as the alternative flight plan's airport's tower. Reportedly, Dr. Myles made a personal cellular call from the plane during landing approach and if correct, it is important to know if he had express any concern over the landing, to party on other end? Did he know they were in trouble? Ambassador Young had serious bad weather concerns and refused to board the flight to Freeport.

Agreed...he was no rookie pilot, and he was flying into known bad weather...you figure out how much fuel you need to get the job done safely...Tal was on point with the flight to alternate destination, plus another 45 minutes of fuel after they reach the alternate. 45 minutes in a jet like that covers a LOT of territory...from Freeport 45 minutes could get him into Orlando or beyond...Palm Beach...Bimini...back to Nassau, literally about 20 minutes at the most once he is at altitude.

All of you are now experts on piloting an Executive Lear Jet, weather conditions, and fuel efficiency. Some of you would just comment on anything, without the slightest idea of what you are talking about. Just makes me sick to read some of your disgusting, "mightier than thou" comments. The Captain was a veteran pilot, who has flown in all types of weather, and was obviously certified to pilot this airplane. End of discussion. May God rest his soul.

Actually...I am a professional pilot, with as many years behind the stick as Capt Thurston...which is why this particular story in this article does not add up...also why this case is so perplexing. The one thing is for certain is that while he was 'ON COURSE' for the final approach, he was WAY too low. Why, we will need to wait for the finding from the cockpit voice recorders and whatever other data they can put together. I did not know t he Captain personally, so I cannot speak to his flying habits, but anyone who is familiar with Freeport knows all about that area off of the approach end of 6...you do NOT go peaking under cloud layers out there in hopes of spotting the runway...at that particular point in the approach, he should have been 1,000 feet higher. Could be something mechanical, could be some erroneous data being presented...but with the myriad of technology in the cockpit these days and his experience level, this should not have happened if the plane was functioning properly, and he was flying how he should. The FAA/CAA/NTSB report will hopefully give us all some definitive answers for what just doesn't make sense...strictly trying to figure out the flying aspects of it all...not the tragedy behind people losing their lives way too early. Wish I knew the Captain more personally so I would have some idea of where his mind may have been as this was unfolding.

I share your precise questions

I think you are reading more into the comments than what the posters have actually said. None of the persons who posted blamed the crash on pilot error or pilot incompetence.

Comrades I am commenting on established facts which so far have pointed to bad weather conditions, well known prior take off from Nassau. That the construction crane height is just under 360 feet, which means the plane's minimum required flying at cruising or descending altitude should have been 150 above tower. That, if as reported the wing of the plane did in fact clip the tower, it had be at flying at 360 feet or below. That a commercial airliner decided, not to risk landing at the same Freeport's airport, due to poor weather conditions. That there is no mistaking that the plane crashed and all aboard were killed. Something went seriously wrong and hopefully on ground investigators and black box recordings can provide family members with answers.

................"The source" is a total idiot with obviously absolutely no aviation knowledge ..........

The 'story' definitely does not all add up as it is portrayed in this article that is for sure.

Agreed 100%. The story as supposedly told by a so-called "source" does not add up at all.

Where in the world does the Tribune get these bloody awful "sources"? Obviously the writers and editors do not know just how low to the ground that plane was in order for it to have clipped one of the Shipyard's cranes. And they don't appear to know anything about the aircraft itself either, or its flight capabilities. Word to the Tribune: get your sources straight and get informed before you come to the nation with foolery

The source is the hologram on the other end of the cellphone with the pilot ........... hellllllllooooooooooo

> Where in the world does the Tribune
> get these bloody awful "sources"?

They call the posters here.

...........................The Tribune is in the business of selling newspapers...................................

Sensationalizing and tweaking news for brain dead idiot consumption is "average" in this realm.

Never forget this same Tribune forecasted their poll of a "hurried land slide victory for the FNM in the last election!

Benjamin Franklin said it best “Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see.”