Concerns about the insurance of the ill-fated American registered aircraft that crashed into a Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara house on April 13 may soon be put to rest.The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is trying to arrange a meeting with Sithe Global in relation to liabilities caused when the twin-engine Piper Aztec, with registration N27-FT crashed.Flashback: Labourers clearing the rubble at the crash siteThe two-man crew was on a technical survey mission for the Amaila Falls Hydropower project. Apparently, Sithe Global, responsible for managing the construction of the project, subcontracted Digital World Mapping to conduct surveys.This is according to Paula Mc Adam, GCAA’s Director of Aviation Safety Regulation, who was at the time responding to queries about a press release the regulatory body issued on the matter Thursday.According to GCAA’s press release, “Approval was given to Digital World Mapping to operate the specific aircraft to conduct a LiDar Survey for the Amaila Hydropower Project. In that approval the operator was advised that the aircraft must be insured against third party risk.“Detailed examination,China Jerseys, based on information provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the USA has revealed that the insurance coverage for the aircraft did not include coverage for operations in South America. As a consequence the liability issues resulting from the aircraft crash are viewed as devolving to the charterer of the aircraft.”However, the regulatory agency did not definitively say whether the aircraft operator acted on the advice and insured the aircraft against third party risk.According to a source, no checks were made to confirm if the operator complied with GCAA’s advice and insured against third party risk. The source said that GCAA’s Air Transport Management Department did not verify if the aircraft was insured and breached protocol by not informing the Aviation Safety Regulations Department about the aircraft’s presence in Guyana’s airspace.The aircraft, just after taking off from the Ogle International Airport, crashed into Florence Tyndall’s house on April 13, last. It also burnt a section of her neighbour, Michelle Belle’s house. Tyndall escaped unharmed but the aircraft’s owner and pilot Pierre Angiel and his passenger Canadian Scientist Nick Dmitriev perished.Tyndall and Belle are patiently waiting for the investigations to conclude and the reconstruction of their properties to commence. Tyndall, whose house was completely destroyed, is optimistic that the “insurance company” would come forward and rebuild her house.It was only after the incident that some senior officials and Aviation Safety Regulations Department became aware of the aircraft, the source said. As such, the department was unable to carry out ramp inspection or examine the aircraft’s logbook which would have indicated the date of the last inspection.This incident has raised concerns among members of the local Aircraft Owners Association who have written to President Donald Ramotar.The Association is worried that the aircraft entered Guyana without proper due diligence being carried out by the GCAA. The letter pointed out that GCAA should not be the body conducting the investigations since it is also the subject of investigation. And the regulations provide for the President to direct the investigations.Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon during his post-Cabinet press briefing Thursday at the Office of the President said that Government has been in receipt of many letters making similar observations and they would be attended to.Dr. Luncheon indicated that the letter from the Aircraft Owners’ Association may incite an engagement with the President.
