Hawker Beechcraft TC-45J accident near Nassau, Bs, December 14, 2010
On December 14, 2010 at about 7:42 pm local time, a Hawker Beechcraft TC-45J, registered N38L, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Nassau (Lynden Pindling International airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were 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 14, 2010 · about 7:42 pm local time
- Place
- Nassau, Bahamas · Lynden Pindling International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hawker Beechcraft TC-45J
- Registration
- N38L · no longer on the register · serial 51132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 14, 2010, about 1442 eastern standard time, a Hawker Beechcraft TC-45J, N38L, registered to and operated by Monarch Air Group, impacted ocean waters about 7 miles southwest of Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN), Nassau, Bahamas. The certificated airline transport pilot and passenger were killed, and the airplane was presumed destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (KFFL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 1347. The non-scheduled, on-demand, air-taxi cargo flight was conducted under the provision of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The airplane was on a 7-mile left downwind leg for runway 32 at MYNN, at 2,000 feet mean sea level, when radar and radio contact was lost. Fragments of the airplane and the passenger were recovered on the surface of the water, about 7 miles southwest of MYNN. The main wreckage and pilot were not recovered. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Bahamas. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Manager of Flight Standards Inspectorate, 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
- Unknown or undetermined during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W PT6A SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W PT6A SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Monarch Air Group LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KFLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 6:47 pm
- Destination: MYNN Nassau
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 11,353 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from MYNN, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.