Amateur-built BN2A accident near Kralendijk, Bonaire, Nt, October 22, 2009
On October 22, 2009 at about 2:17 pm local time, a amateur-built BN2A, registered PJSUN, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Kralendijk, Bonaire (Bonaire airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 1 person was killed and 9 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2009 · about 2:17 pm local time
- Place
- Kralendijk, Bonaire, NT · Bonaire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 9 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BN2A 26
- Registration
- PJSUN · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 22, 2009, about 1417 universal coordinated time, a Britten Norman BN-2A/26, PJ-SUN, experienced a right engine failure during cruise flight, and subsequently ditched in the Caribbean Sea, near Kralendijk, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The airplane is presumed to be substantially damaged. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured and nine passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Willemstad, Curacao (TNCC), destined for Kralendijk, Bonaire (TNCB). The scheduled passenger flight was conducted under the provisions of Civil Aviation Regulation Netherlands Antilles (CARNA) Part 8. This investigation is under jurisdiction of the Netherlands Antilles Government. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Directorate of Civil Aviation (Ministry of Communications) Seru Mahuma z/n Curacao, Netherlands Antilles This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the Netherlands Antilles Government.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Other authority investigated
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Divi Divi Air Nv
The flight
- Departed from: TNC Curacao at 1:48 pm
- Destination: TNCB Kralendijk, Bonaire
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.