The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Questions have been raised over whether the pilot of the plane involved in last week’s tragedy was fully licensed to carry fee-paying passengers on a charter flight, Tribune Business can reveal.

Documents obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) airman’s registry, which is current to August 23, 2024, show that Karaganda ‘Cardi’ Newton, who this newspaper identified as the pilot of the Piper Aztec when it ditched in waters about eight miles west of New Providence on Thursday, leading to the deaths of two persons, was licensed as a private pilot.

However, there was nothing to show he has a commercial pilot’s licence. Aviation industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told this newspaper that he would need a commercial pilot’s licence from the US to accept fee-paying charter passengers given that the plane was still registered in the US.

Mr Newton also has a current medical but no instrument rating, according to the FAA database, which gave an address for him in Coral Harbour. Aviation contacts also pointed out that he is not named on the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) list of operators who have an air operator certificate (AOC) and can conduct charter flights.

Tribune Business tried to contact Mr Newton but was informed by a relative that he was still undergoing medical treatment and could not be reached for comment. Mr Newton is understood to have previously flown one of this newspaper’s staff back from Andros on a plane chartered by Leonardo Lightbourne, the North Andros and Berry Islands MP, who could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The Piper Aztec PA-23-250, registered in the US as N555MH, was en route to Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) when the pilot encountered difficulties. Of the six people on board the flight, two passed away during the rescue operation and the surviving four were taken to hospital for treatment.

Records show the Piper Aztec PA-23-250 was registered in 2022 and currently owned by Denis Danilchuk, a Russian resident of Loganville, Georgia. It was preciously registered in 2006 to Pace Thomas, a resident of Thomasville, Georgia.

The aircraft was manufactured in 1973, and it is currently unclear if Mr Newton was leasing the aircraft from its owner or has purchased it but did not switch the registration information to his name.

There were earlier reports that the aircraft, which was initially bound for San Andros Airport, returned to Nassau as the runway lights at the former location were not switched on and employees were not given permission to turn them on for the incoming aircraft.

However this was denied by a senior Airport Authority official, who chose to remain anonymous but confirmed the lights were switched on. They added that bad weather and low fuel might have played a role in the pilot choosing to ditch the aircraft.

Aviation industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the runway lights issue yesterday as a ‘red herring’. They added that, because Mr Newton seemingly did not have an instrument rating, he should not have been flying into such rough weather. And, because San Andros does not have an instrument approach, they should not have been trying to land in that weather.

The Airport Authority, in a statement over the weekend, said an active investigation is underway by air accident investigators into the incident. “The Airport Authority has and remains committed to ensuring the safe operations for the travelling public,” said the statement.

“There is an active investigation being conducted by air accident investigators. We would wish to reserve any comment on this matter. The Airport Authority extends sincerest condolences to the family of the deceased passengers and to the love ones of all those involved in this unfortunate accident.”