A light Cessna 206 aircraft was completely written off yesterday morning after the pilot attempted a landing at the Baramita aerodrome in the North West District (NWD).
Reports are that the Oxford Flights aircraft, bearing registration 8R-GRT, departed for the interior aerodrome and as the pilot navigated into the aerodrome, approximately an hour and a half later, he crashed.
Pilot Christopher George escaped with minor injuries. Reports, however, indicate that the entire structure of the aircraft, including its lone propeller, landing gear (nose wheel) and fuselage, was severely damaged. George was the only person on board at the time of the incident.
It is suspected that pilot error may have contributed to the incident and civil aviation officials ventured into the area yesterday to launch an investigation.
Oxford Flights official Tricia La Rose told Stabroek News that the aircraft left the Ogle Airport area around 8:15 yesterday and around 9:35, the company was told that the aircraft was involved in an accident.
She said that the company subsequently dispatched a team to assess the situation at Baramita. According to her, the pilot was “okay.”
La Rose said that the aircraft was on a private flight to the NWD aerodrome at the time of the incident.
There are reports that the Baramita aerodrome is in need of dire repairs but it was noted yesterday that the state of the aerodrome did not contribute to the incident.
Last August, another Cessna 206 aircraft, which belonged to Oxford Flights, crashed during take-off at the Ekereku Top aerodrome in Region 7. The pilot along with five passengers escaped with minor injuries.
That aircraft was completely written off and the company recently bought the aircraft which was involved in yesterday’s incident as a replacement.
