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Three Killed in Mooney M20J Crash Near Nampa Municipal Airport

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Nampa, Idaho – July 27, 2025 — A Mooney M20J single-engine aircraft crashed into a residential area just west of Nampa Municipal Airport shortly after takeoff Sunday evening, killing all three people onboard. The flight lasted less than one minute. The aircraft, tail number N5764H , was registered to Sleeptytime PLLC , a private operator based in Eagle, Idaho. It departed from Runway 29 at approximately 5:41 p.m. local time and reached an altitude of roughly 200 feet above ground level before executing a sharp 180-degree turn. Moments later, the plane lost control and crashed into an unoccupied structure near North Venice Street. Emergency responders were dispatched within minutes of the crash, which was reported by multiple eyewitnesses who saw the aircraft descending rapidly and emitting smoke. The impact destroyed the aircraft and set off a brief fire. No one on the ground was hurt. Local authorities, including Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling, expressed condolences to the victims’ familie...
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Hijacking on Tropic Air Flight Ends with Fatal Shooting in Belize

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  • Date: April 17, 2025
  • Location: Near Corozal, Belize
  • Aircraft: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX
  • Operator: Tropic Air
  • Flight: 9N711
  • Occupants: 14
  • Fatalities: 1 (Hijacker)
  • Injuries: 3 (including pilot and passengers)
  • Departure airport: Corozal Airport (CZH/MZCZ)
  • Destination airport: San Pedro Airport (SPR/MZSP)

A dramatic mid-air hijacking unfolded over Belize on Thursday morning when Tropic Air flight 9N711, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX En route from Corozal to San Pedro, was commandeered by a knife-wielding passenger. The hijacker, identified as 49-year-old Akinyela Sawa Taylor, reportedly demanded that the aircraft be flown to the United States.

The pilot, Howell Grange, managed to keep the aircraft airborne for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes while under duress. During the incident, Taylor allegedly attacked fellow passengers, stabbing at least one person in the back and injuring another. Grange and two passengers sustained injuries in the course of the event.

As fuel levels became critical, the aircraft ultimately landed safely at Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE), where the situation reached its conclusion. A licensed firearm holder among the passengers shot Taylor moments after landing. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

Belize’s Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, confirmed that police forces had been mobilized to multiple airports, uncertain of the plane’s final destination. A rescue helicopter tracked the aircraft’s erratic flight over the coastline, ready to respond in the event of a crash or emergency landing.

Authorities noted that Taylor had previously been denied entry into Belize, though details about how he re-entered the country remain unclear. There is no current evidence linking the hijacking to any broader threat.

In response, the Government of Belize and the Department of Civil Aviation have launched a full investigation and pledged to enhance domestic flight security protocols. They emphasized the rarity of such incidents and reassured the public that safety remains their top priority. Immediate steps are being taken to strengthen security at domestic airports across the country.

While all injured individuals are expected to recover, the incident has raised pressing concerns about passenger screening and onboard security for small aircraft in Belize's domestic network.

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Location: Corozal, Belize

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