Conquest Air (Cargo) Convair C-131F down.

[Hotel Tango]

News coming in that a Conquest Air Convair C-131B has ditched in the sea off the Florida coast on its way to OPF (Opa Locka), Florida. One person has been rescued.

[Zlinguy]

Been following this...I have an old acquaintance working there

[Airbubba]

N145GT, a 1955 C-131B.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/...1613Z/tracklog

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/a...145gt#1f6fa5ea

[Hotel Tango]

Because of my love for these oldies I happened to photograph one just last November! This is not the actual aircraft involved. Very sad. Delighted to hear that one crew member has been rescued and sincerely hope the other will be too.

[Zlinguy]

Apparently a "planned" ditching - at least 1 pilot made it into a liferaft and was rescued by the Coast Guard. Local news here has a video showing the left wing detached at the root and floating inverted - engine detached and gear retracted.

Weather here today is very benign and very calm seas.

[Hotel Tango]

Correct AirBubba. I had heard it was "45" and incorrectly assumed N345GS.

[DaveReidUK]

Presumably operating Conquest Air's daily Opa Locka/Bahamas freight schedule.

[Hotel Tango]

Just asking, should anyone know, is that a life raft from the aircraft or maybe one dropped by the Coast Guard?

[Airbubba]

A source tells CBS4’s Jim DeFede the survivor notified the Coast Guard that the other passenger was the pilot of the aircraft, a 71-year-old man who the survivor said was still strapped into his seat when the plane submerged. The survivor believes the pilot could not have made it out.

Video of the helo rescue in the article linked below.

https://miami.cbslocal.com/2019/02/08/small-plane-crash-miami/

[JanetFlight]

Sorry foor the slightly offtopic...i read in another site the PIC rescued was an experient 71 years old captain (my respect).
But here is my main question...could be allowed doing commercial service (i suppose Conquest does Commercial Air Cargo Ops) a pilot in command with 70plus years old age...?
Im not 100% sute but AFAIK here in EASA Realms that would be a bit on the verge...?
Tks and i pray for the other crew member that could also be rescued soon and safe!

[Screaming_Eagle]

A good friend of mine is the missing pilot. I've known him for more than 30 years and he was one of the best stick and rudder guys I have ever known.

[Zlinguy]

Originally Posted by JanetFlight

Sorry foor the slightly offtopic...i read in another site the PIC rescued was an experient 71 years old captain (my respect).
But here is my main question...could be allowed doing commercial service (i suppose Conquest does Commercial Air Cargo Ops) a pilot in command with 70plus years old age...?
Im not 100% sute but AFAIK here in EASA Realms that would be a bit on the verge...?
Tks and i pray for the other crew member that could also be rescued soon and safe!

Captain (who was the crewmember lost) was 68. Pretty sure they were operating under CFR Part 125, so, no age 65 restriction.

[chimbu warrior]

Pretty sure they were operating under CFR Part 125, so, no age 65 restriction.

But as an international commercial operation this would be disallowed under Annex 1.

[ironbutt57]

Originally Posted by chimbu warrior

But as an international commercial operation this would be disallowed under Annex 1.

rest assured they weren't doing anything illegal, this is good operator, just old airplanes a bit, but well thought of in aviation circles...

[Capt Fathom]

Early days yet but brings up memories of the loss of the Convair at Wonderboom South Africa in July last year.

[roundsounds]

Convair Accidents

This will be the 4th accident in the last 15 years involving a Convair being unable to maintain altitude following an engine failure shortly after takeoff.

[Hotel Tango]

Except that, from my information, it wasn't exactly shortly after take-off.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by Hotel Tango

Except that, from my information, it wasn't exactly shortly after take-off.

Looking at the FR24 replay, there might well have been problems from soon after takeoff.

The Convairs normally fly the NAS-OPF leg at 8000', but the flight in question didn't get higher than around 4500' at any point.

[Hotel Tango]

I stand corrected. Perhaps trying to get it back to base (and their maintenance facilities) rather than return to Nassau. Pure speculation mind!

[Airbubba]

From Patch.com:

Company CEO Marc Wolff told Patch that the missing crew member is 68-year-old Robert Hopkins, who has been with the company only a short time but is an experienced pilot.

"Excellent pilot. He has flown with the major airlines," Wolff told Patch. "He has been with us probably four months, five months right around there. Solid guy, solid pilot."

Wolff said first officer Rolland Silva was rescued by the Coast Guard and is in stable condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

From the FAA database for the captain:

Certificates Description

Certificate: AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT
Date of Issue: 7/26/2017

Ratings:
AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
COMMERCIAL PRIVILEGES
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND

Type Ratings: A/B-727 A/B-737 A/CV-240 A/CV-340 A/CV-440 A/LR-JET

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
B-727 B-737 CIRC. APCH. - VMC ONLY.

For the first officer:

Certificates Description

Certificate: COMMERCIAL PILOT
Date of Issue: 6/20/2018

Ratings:
COMMERCIAL PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

Type Ratings: C/CV-240 C/CV-340 C/CV-440

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
CV-240 CV-340 CV-440 SIC PRIVILEGES ONLY.

Both pilots hold first class medicals.