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News clips parts 1 and 2 On December 22, 2009 at approximately 10.22 p.m. in torrential rain, American Airlines flight 331 skidded off the runway at Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport broke through a perimeter fence and went across the road leading to the historic town of Port Royal. This Boeing 737 aircraft was piloted by Captain Brian Cole who has twenty years of piloting experience. The flight originated at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. making a stop in Miami, Florida. The impact of the crash broke the aircraft in three. However all 148 passengers and 6 crew members survived the impact. 90 people suffered injuries from cuts and bruises to broken bones.
Jamaica has had a few incidents of commercial passenger aircraft accidents before this one. Palisadoes International Airport (then name of the Norman Manley International Airport) On September 2, 1951 a Pan American World Airways Convair CV-240-2 Flight 507 comi9ng from Camaguey, Cuba crashed into the Kingston harbour 800 feet short of the runway. All 30 passengers and 4 crew were rescued by a boat. Pilot error was blamed for the accident.On April 10, 1953 a Caribbean International Airways Lockheed 18-56 Lodestar crashed into the sea on take off killing all 10 passengers and 3 crew. No cause was ever determined. Montego Bay International Airport(renamed Sir Donald Sangster International Airport) On January 21, 1960 Avianca Flight 671 Lockheed L - 10493-55 Super Constellation with 39 passengers and 4 crew crash landed in torrential rain and burst into flames. 35 passengers and 2 crew were killed. The accident was attributed to a too hard landing which led to structural failure and fire.
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