HGP Nightly News – It was a rough start to the morning at one of Guyana’s most remote airstrips. Within the span of just 20 minutes, two separate aircraft incidents unfolded at the Mathews Ridge runway in Region One, triggering an immediate investigation by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority. The first happened just before 8 a.m.
A Cessna 208 Caravan, operated by Jags Aviation and bearing registration 8R-KAB, was manoeuvring in the parking area when its left landing gear tyre suffered a puncture. No one was hurt. The damage was contained. Minutes later, at approximately 8:15 a.m., an Air Services Limited Cessna 208 Caravan, registration 8R-GCB, touched down on the prepared surface. But the aircraft didn’t stop where it should have.
It overran onto an unprepared area, and the result was the same: a punctured tyre on the left landing gear. Authorities are now working to determine exactly what went wrong. The GCAA has launched a full investigation into both incidents, examining everything from surface conditions to pilot actions to environmental factors.
The government, through the GCAA, had issued a Notice to Airmen, a standard safety alert, advising all pilots to exercise “heightened caution” during approach, landing, and take-off at the airstrip. The reason? The runway is currently undergoing upgrades.
For now, the GCAA is keeping its focus firmly on safety. “The Authority remains steadfast in its commitment to conducting a thorough investigation of both incidents to uphold the highest standards of aviation safety,” officials said.
No passengers or crew were harmed.
