By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

INVESTIGATORS probing the cause of a small plane crash in Bimini that killed two men on Sunday said it was likely to have been caused by engine failure, according to Transport and Aviation Minister Glenys Hanna Martin.

While addressing parliamentarians in the House of Assembly on Monday, Mrs Hanna Martin said preliminary investigations revealed the Piper Aztec plane experienced problems with its right engine moments after take off, forcing the pilot to turn around and head back to the South Bimini Airport.

Unfortunately, she said, the pilot “fell short of the runway.”

The names of the victims have not yet been released but The Tribune understands they are pilot Terrance “Tango” Gibson and an airplane mechanic, Anthony Smith, nicknamed “Scrubby”.

“At 4.15pm (on) June 19, aviation officials at South Bimini Airport received a report of smoke in bushes near the airport. The aircraft’s registration number is N63ZZ, a PA 27, which departed Bimini minutes earlier. There was no previous radio communication from the aircraft,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.

“The crash and fire rescue team and the Civil Aviation Department along with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and other airport personnel immediately responded to the area in question and traversed along a dirt road until the area became impassable. The crash fire and rescue team, along with the equipment, continued through the thick bushes on foot and after an extensive trek, a fatal crash scene was discovered with two bodies. Ultimately, a tractor was used to effect a removal of the bodies.

“Investigators were dispatched to Bimini and preliminary reports indicate that around 4pm Sunday, the mentioned aircraft departed Bimini International Airport for Abaco and upon departing apparently experienced an engine problem with its right engine.

“The aircraft attempted to return to Bimini International Airport where it crashed into bushes short of the airport. The aircraft sustained post impact fire with no salvage upon inspection. Two souls were on board and neither survived the crash,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.

She added that the bodies were brought to the Nassau and investigators are awaiting eyewitness reports from the police.

She said an update on the investigation will be provided to the public as soon as it becomes available.