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So what went wrong? Tropic Air is saying its was an engine failure, but the Civil Aviation Department which is leading the investigation is being very guarded in its remarks...

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"Tropic Air Flight 281, Cessna 208 Caravan inbound from San Pedro to Belize Municipal Airport was involve in an accident. The aircraft had 1 pilot and 5 passengers. Upon attempting to land at the municipal airport the aircraft was not able to come to a full stop in the existing length of the runway and ended up departing the runway and coming to rest beyond the end of the runway in the water."

John Greif, Owner - Tropic Air
"One thing we know for sure that the municipal airstrip is too short. The pilot said boss if I had a next hundred and fifty feet it wouldn't have been a problem."

Jules Vasquez
"Tropic Air has admitted and the police said that the engine died and he wasn't able to apply reverse thrust to decelerate within the allotted space. Was that the issue?"

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"I can only say to you that my international protocol and Belize law does not permit me to speak with any reference to any investigation. It may prejudice that investigation."

Jules Vasquez
"Now they've been a number of incidents have come to our attention involving Tropic Air; there is one at Blancaneaux where a plane ran off the runway I am told. That was in November. There was another one in November right at the municipal; a plane landed in the mud at the end. Is safety an issue?"

John Greif, Owner - Tropic Air
"Jules, I know you are the press, but you are almost right. You are right one out of three; we did have a junior pilot in a small plane land on the, what will be the new airport at the municipal. The plane wasn't damage, there was nothing wrong with it, and the abundance of caution, because the propeller had struck the ground. We took the engine out, send it to the factory to be analyze, at Amerijet today, and it will be back in service. The other two incidents - it didn't happen to Tropic. I can't speak for anybody else."

Jules Vasquez
"We've heard reports since mid-November of three other incidents involving Tropic Air; 1) at Blancaneaux, a small single engine plane run off the runway. 2) We heard that at the municipal a plane landed in the mud before the airstrip, the part that's being filled now."

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"Currently I would have to research the information and then I could speak with you more on that matter."

Jules Vasquez
"But sir, it must be at hand. My problem is that civil aviation continues to operate like a secret society. For years I've been in the media, so we have never seen one report. If there is a bus accident, the police have to give us the report. But you all operate as if this is not public safety."

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"You are right. We are working on changing those."

Jules Vasquez
"But you could change it right now Nigel. Just tell me, the thing happen or not?"

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"The current legislation requires that the minister releases the information regarding any accidents. With reference to incidents, I don't want to speak on any incidents because I don't have proper information. I want to give you factual information. I can guarantee you that you can come back to me and I will answer those questions for you in a factual way."

John Greif, Owner - Tropic Air
"Unfortunately Jules planes are built by humans, they are maintained by humans, they are flown by humans and stuff happens."

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"We believe of the 300,000 flight operations, if we do have an accident it is definitely regrettable. But we do believe that our safety record remains up there with any first world country."

But do those first world standards extend to Tropic Air's safety and training operations? It's a valid question with yesterday's incident and at least one other within the last month that Greif admitted to. There is a credible report of another incident at Maya Flats, not Blancaneux that we have heard of.

Now, Tropic Air reports that it operated over 50,000 flights last year, with more than 300,000 passengers to 16 destinations. Indeed, it is very fast growing, but has that grown outpaced the maintenance and safety regimen? That what we asked:..

Jules Vasquez
"Is there ever a concern that you all are going too fast to keep up with your safety standards, with your maintenance standards?"

John Greif, Owner - Tropic Air
"My partner Steve Schulte think about that on a daily basis. Remember Jules, our wives, our daughters, our grandkids fly on these planes, so safety is absolutely number one."

Jules Vasquez
"Are they grown too fast to keep with a proper regimen of maintenance and safety and training?"

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"Well we know that Tropic Air has grown, they've expanded their routes and so forth, but we do regulate that growth. So we can say that we have done our due diligence to ensure that the company has grown and complying with standards."

As we have reported, the Cessna Caravan that went into the sea yesterday was added to the tropic fleet only half a month ago. It was acquired for a cost of 4 million dollars - and was the first in its fleet outfitted with an air conditioned cabin. We found out more about its air worthiness today:...

Jules Vasquez
"I know you all have sent our press release that you all acquire this plane. Was it acquire new, refurbished, how was it acquired?"

John Greif, Owner - Tropic Air
"Unfortunately Cessna quit making the exact airplane that we are using. They put a different engine in and is no longer suitable for us. But this plane was 3-4 calendar years old and it only really been used for a year or so. It was almost new."

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"When the aircraft comes into Belize, we carry out what we called a conformity check. That involves an extensive review of all of the aircraft including its components and everything that went into the aircraft. So we conduct that and base on the inspector's review, we issue a certificate air readiness which is valid for a year."

Jules Vasquez
"So that airplane was deemed a worthy as of mid-November?"

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"That is correct."

Jules Vasquez
"One would have to be slightly surprised to hear that it went into the sea half month later."

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"Yes, buy again, with reference to the nature of accidents there are many components to any accident. However, there are many contributing factors that may come into play to cause the aircraft to be in that position to have that accident occur."

And so while Civil Aviation investigates, they will be contacting the National Transport Safety Board in the US and Transport Canada.

But on the environmental side a portion of the 600 pounds of fuel that were in the plane has leaked out into the sea - leaving a thick slick of oil along the Belize City coast. That's about 90 gallons of aviation fuel and we asked who will clean it up:..

Jules Vasquez
"Now we have no contingency in place I gather to clean that up and there will be no fine against Tropic for that? Is that a part of the assessment?"

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"Currently at least in civil aviation, there is now laws protecting the environment from that standpoint?"

Jules Vasquez
"So then theoretically I could just go into the sea and pour 200 gallons of fuel, if I have that kind of money to waste and nothing would happen to me?"

Nigel Carter, COO - Civil Aviation Department
"You would to speak with the Department of the Environment on that one."

The Civil Aviation Department says it will issue its preliminary findings as soon as possible.