16th of May 2025, Fokker 50 Runway Excursion, blog #745
- V2Aviation
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
With a crew of three and 32 passengers, a Fokker 27 Mark 50 (Fokker 50) was scheduled to operate a flight from Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (MPMG) to José Ezequiel Hall International Airport (MPBO), both in Panama.
The scheduled flight, conducted under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules), was estimated to have an en-route time of just under one hour (55 minutes), with fuel on board for four hours. The pilot in command (PIC) was acting as pilot monitoring, with the first officer serving as pilot flying for the sector.
Following a delay of approximately three hours, the aircraft lifted off from runway 01 at Marcos A. Gelabert Airport at 20:12 LT (local time).
The flight proceeded without incident. The crew maintained communication with air traffic control, who informed them of the weather conditions at the destination airport and cleared them to the Bocas fixed point.
At 20:49 LT, the flight contacted the tower controller at José Ezequiel Hall International Airport. The pilot in command reported that they would attempt an approach and, if unsuccessful, would return to Marcos A. Gelabert Airport. Six minutes later, the crew reported they were 10 NM from the field and continuing their approach.
At 20:57:13 LT (01:57:13 UTC), the tower controller informed the flight that there was a thunderstorm over the field. When the aircraft was approximately 5 NM from the airport, the controller established visual contact with it, at about the same time the crew reported the field in sight.
The tower controller subsequently cleared the flight to land on runway 27, with calm winds, and advised the crew that the runway was wet.
At 20:59:33, the aircraft touched down on runway 27.
Immediately after touchdown, it veered to the right, and the crew were unable to correct its trajectory. The aircraft entered soft ground, causing the landing gear to be torn from the airframe. It then collided with a concrete wall, shearing off the right-hand wing. The aircraft finally came to rest 3 metres to the right of the runway and 720 metres from the runway 27 threshold.
All passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft. One crew member sustained serious injuries, and two crew members sustained minor injuries.
The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Video of the landing and the aftermath (© Telemetro Reporta)
According to Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), OFINVAA (Panama’s Air Accident Investigation Office) notified the accident to the Dutch Safety Board (as the State of Design and Manufacture of the aircraft), the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) (as the State of Design of the engines), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
After a six-month investigation, OFINVAA published its final report, listing the following contributing factors:
Failure to comply with flight dispatch procedures for obtaining accurate meteorological information for the flight
Lack of supervision and control over the aircraft’s ground dispatch
The crew’s decision to continue the flight
The pilot in command not taking control of the aircraft for landing
Poor runway visual conditions (dark surface and reduced visibility due to rain)
An approach deviated to the right of the runway centreline and an unstable landing
The final investigation report, which served as the source for this blog, can be accessed by clicking on the PDF file below.
Editorial note
V2 Aviation – Training & Maintenance has not been able to obtain an investigation report in English for this accident. This blog is therefore based on several internet sources and a translation of the original report. Should there be any inconsistencies in the blog, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. You can do so either via the comments section at the bottom of this page or through the contact page on the website.
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