A Timair air taxi was totally destroyed after it made a crash landing, skidded 417 feet off the Negril aerodrome runway into a clump of bushes and ended up on its roof shortly before 12:00 noon yesterday.

All three persons on board received minor injuries.

The Observer learnt that the small aircraft was caught in crosswinds and the pilot was only able to keep the wheels on the ground after three separate attempts. The engine and front wheel were torn off.

The plane, registered 6YJNB, left Montego Bay for Negril at 11:30 am with 41 year-old Rebecca Scariot and 38 year-old John Wenzeo, who are both from Virginia, USA on board. The pilot was Jamaican, Damian Blake. The crash landing occurred at about 11:55 am, and while the two passengers were able to get out of the plane without any assistance, Blake had to be helped out by members of the fire department who arrived on the scene in one unit. The passengers were taken to the Royal Medical Hospital for observation, but their injuries were not considered serious.

Some residents complained yesterday that the 2,200-foot runway is too short and praised the pilot for minimising the damage to himself and his two passengers. They also expressed concern that the accident could adversely affect tourism, given that there is still some post-September 11 apprehension about flying.

The accident forced the cancellation of four Air Jamaica Express flights as the aerodrome was closed between 12:00 noon and 3:55 pm.

Members of the Airports Authority, a scene of crime team from the police’s Area One Division, and a team of accident investigators from the Jamaica Defence Force Airwing are conducting investigations into the accident.