MIAMI, United States. — The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a preliminary report of the accident suffered on November 14 by the Antonov An-2 light aircraft registration CU-A1885the same one in which the pilot Rubén Martínez Machado escaped from Cuba.
According to the federal agency, the device fell to the ground in the Everglades during the transfer from the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT) to the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), in Fort Lauderdale, located north of Miami-Dade.
The final flight of the Antonov An-2, which was being operated by a subcontractor, was to drop the plane off at a general property warehouse.
“Before takeoff, the pilots conducted pre-flight and takeoff inspections. They left for FXE around 13:06. After a few minutes of flight, the pilot noticed that the plane was producing more smoke than normal”, indicates the NTSB report.
The entity explains that around 1:25 p.m. the engine began to lose power, the air speed decreased and the plane began to descend.
“At around 1:30 p.m., when the plane was about 15 miles west of Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (OPF), the pilot lined the plane up with the dock and landed with the main landing gear. As the tail wheel was about to touch down, the aircraft veered to the left and the pilot was unable to keep the aircraft in the dike. The aircraft then rolled down the bank on the side of the dam, came into contact with the water, tilted and came to rest inverted in the water and vegetation,” the statement said.
Review of photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration indicated that the aircraft was substantially damaged as a result of the accident, and was therefore retained by the NTSB for examination.
The Antonov An-2 plane registration CU-A1885 used by Rubén Martínez Tamayo to escape from Cuba was owned by the National Air Services Company (ENSA). On the Island, the device was used regularly for agricultural work and mail distribution.
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