Navajo N777AA

There isn’t much that can be said for this inter-island charter. The Factual Report is remarkably nebulous.

   This charter Piper Navajo departed Anguilla, British West Indies, on October 20, 1982, at 8:03.a.m. It carried 7 passengers. Two minutes later the  pilot contacted St. Maarten and filed a Flight Plan stating a VFR plan to St.  Thomas for 4,500 feet, flight time: 45 minutes. Within that span,
       the Piper and its 8 persons vanished. No Mayday, no
                       ELT signal, no clue.

             The search ended on October 23 with depressing results.
             The pilot’s qualifications were really quite good: 6,500
             flight hours. Official departments cited choice number
           1 as the probable cause: “Reasons for occurrence
             undetermined,” adding what has become a very familiar
       conjecture to me:
               “The aircraft damage and injuries index is presumed.”

     The mystery of the Navajo is compounded by its design. It’s nose is hollow, designed as an excellent luggage compartment which also distributes the center of gravity. The engine nacelles are not big, but on most models they are long, allowing extra luggage storage such as tote bags, even fishing poles and skies.

     If the pilot encountered an emergency and he had to suddenly ditch the aircraft, it is possible it sank intact (almost certainly). However, he also would have had time to send a Mayday. Yet none was heard. If the Navajo suddenly plunged to the sea in a headlong dive, the nose would implode and the luggage of seven people, plus bits of the fuselage and paneling, would be scattered everywhere. Yet no trace was found.