Why I continue to speak about aviation safety in The Bahamas
WHY I CANNOT “MOVE ON”
Over the past few days, several pilots have called or messaged me asking why I continue to speak about aviation safety. Some have even suggested that I should simply move on with my life.
I respectfully cannot.
This is my life’s work.
For more than 40 years I have served as a pilot, Civil Aviation Safety Inspector, aircraft accident investigator, airline executive, and aviation safety consultant. I have stood at accident sites, participated in investigations, and witnessed the devastating impact these tragedies have on families and communities.
As someone born and raised in North Andros, this is deeply personal. Some of those lost over the years were relatives, lifelong friends, neighbours, or people I had known for decades.
The first Piper Aztec accident claimed six lives.
The second Piper Aztec accident claimed two lives.
The recent Cessna 402 accident has now claimed ten lives, according to the AAIA.
That is 18 lives lost in three major accidents connected with North Andros. Behind every number is a family whose life has been changed forever.
One of the most heartbreaking experiences is watching families gather at an airport or accident site, desperately trying to determine whether their loved one was on board because there was no confirmed passenger manifest. No family should ever have to endure that uncertainty.
The official AAIA investigations into the two Aztec accidents identified significant safety issues and made recommendations intended to reduce the likelihood of future tragedies.
That is why I continue to ask:
* What changed?
* How did it change?
* Were the safety recommendations implemented?
* Have those changes measurably strengthened aviation safety and State safety oversight?
These are not questions about the cause of the current accident. Those answers must come from the independent AAIA investigation.
They are questions about whether we have learned from previous tragedies.
The Bahamas is an archipelago where air transportation is essential. Every day, Bahamians depend on aircraft to reach medical care, employment, education, government services, banking, and family. Every passenger has the right to expect that the aircraft they board is operated safely, legally, and under effective regulatory oversight.
If asking these questions contributes to preventing even one future accident, then I believe they are questions worth asking.
We owe that to the 18 lives already lost, to their families, and to every passenger who will board an aircraft tomorrow.
— Capt. Randy L. Butler
Former Civil Aviation Safety Inspector
Former Aircraft Accident Investigator
Former CEO, SkyBahamas Airlines
Principal Consultant, Aviation Safety & Security Consultants Ltd.
