Boeing 737-800, Trinidad & Tobago registration 9Y-PBM, operated by Caribbean Airlines as flight 523: Inquiry still in limbo - Accident occurred July 30, 2011 in Georgetown, Guyana

(Trinidad Guardian)    

The co-pilot of CAL’s flight BW 523, which crash-landed in Guyana last year, has resigned and the captain of the flight is currently employed at another CAL division, the airline has said.

A report on the crash-landing—still outstanding almost 18 months after the incident—is now expected early next year after the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington recently reviewed an initial report from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, head of T&T’s Civil Aviation Division Ramesh Lutchmedial said yesterday.

CAL chairman Rabindra Moonan was asked about several aspects of the issue earlier this week and the company supplied answers to the T&T Guardian. The company said the co-pilot had resigned and the captain of the aircraft was now employed in another department of the airline, pending the release of the official report.

On the status of the report about the crash, CAL said as far as officials were aware, the report was still being prepared by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority.  “They have given no indication as to when it will be released.  We are not aware that any US authorities have asked us to change any systems as a result of the report. This is improbable since the report has not yet been released,” CAL added.

Lutchmedial said a meeting was held with the NTSB in Washington last month at which the NTSB reviewed a report by the GCAA. Lutchmedial added, “The NTSB recommended that segments of the report by the GCAA be redrafted so a final report  will be issued later, possibly next year. We cannot give details of the report until then.”

On questions about lawsuits filed against the company by some passengers over the crash, the company said aviation insurers had appointed a firm of specialist aviation attorneys to represent CAL.  CAL officials subsequently said there were about four lawsuits in the US against CAL in connection with the incident. They said the sums involved were “not much,” each in the vicinity of  several thousand US dollars.

CAL said the damaged aircraft—known as the “salvage”—was still in Guyana and in the custody of the GCAA until the release of the report. The airline added, “It now belongs to the insurers, who have paid the owners in full. After the release, they will determine how it is to be disposed of.”

Source:  http://www.stabroeknews.com

NTSB Identification: DCA11RA092
Scheduled 14 CFR Non-U.S., Commercial operation of Caribbean Airlines
Accident occurred Saturday, July 30, 2011 in Georgetown, Guyana
Aircraft: BOEING 737, registration: 9Y-PBM
Injuries: 1 Serious,161 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. The foreign authority was the source of this information.

On July 30, 2011, at 1:25 am local time (0525 UTC), a Boeing 737-800, Trinidad & Tobago registration 9Y-PBM, operated by Caribbean Airlines as flight 523, overran the runway upon landing at Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, Guyana. Of the 156 passengers and six crew on board, there was reportedly one serious and multiple minor injuries. Weather was reported as raining at the time of the accident. Preliminary details from local authorities indicate that the airplane fractured in two pieces as a result of the overrun. The flight was a scheduled passenger flight from Piarco International Airport, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago.

The accident is being investigated by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The NTSB has designated a U.S. Accredited Representative as the state of manufacture. All inquiries should be directed to the Guyana CAA at:

Civil Aviation Authority
Fairlie House Lot 96
Duke St
Kingston
Georgetown