Amateur-built EXPRESS accident near Berry Island, Bs, December 12, 2009
On December 12, 2009 at about 1:00 pm local time, a amateur-built EXPRESS, registered N93HE, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Berry Island (Chub Cay Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- December 12, 2009 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Berry Island, Bahamas · Chub Cay Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EXPRESS
- Registration
- N93HE · no longer on the register · serial 143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 12, 2009, at 1300 UTC, an experimental, amateur-built Harmut Huber Express, N93HE, operated by a private individual, crashed into the water on short final approach to Chub Cay Airport (MYBC), Berry Island, Bahamas. The pilot was killed and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Palm Beach County Park Airport (LNA), West Palm Beach, Florida at an undetermined time. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Bahamas Civil Aviation Department Flight Standards Inspectorate. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Manager of Flight Standards, Bahamas P.O. Box AP 59244 Nassau, N.P. Bahamas Phone: (242) 377-3445/3448 Facsimile: (242) 377-6060 This report is for information purposes only, and contains only information released by or obtained for the Bahamian 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 control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: sport pilot; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Palm Beach FL
- Destination: MYBC Berry Island
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 2,400 ft; a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from MYBC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.