Air Panama Fokker 50 Skids Off Runway in Bocas del Toro with 38 Onboard

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On the night of May 16, 2025, a serious runway incident occurred at Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport (BOC) involving Air Panama Flight 982, a Fokker 50 turboprop aircraft registered as HP-1899PST. The flight had departed from Panama City’s Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (PAC) with 35 passengers and 3 crew members on board.

The aircraft attempted to land amid heavy rain and wet runway conditions at approximately 10:01 PM local time. During the landing roll on Runway 27, the plane veered off the right side of the runway and continued for nearly 1,000 meters, ultimately coming to a stop after colliding with dense vegetation.

Despite the severe structural damage to the aircraft— including a detached vertical stabilizer and damaged wings— all 38 occupants survived. However, 12 people were injured, and the captain reportedly sustained a broken wrist. The aircraft has been declared a total loss.

The Panamanian Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) launched an investigation immediately after the incident. Both the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were recovered and are being analyzed. Initial crew statements contradicted earlier speculation that pedestrians may have been on the runway, confirming that no such obstacle was present at the time of landing.

The accident sheds light on the operational challenges at regional airports like Bocas del Toro, where short and narrow runways, combined with limited infrastructure and adverse weather, can pose significant risks. The airport's runway is 1,500 meters long and 26 meters wide, which may have influenced the aircraft’s inability to maintain runway alignment in slippery conditions.

Flights in and out of Bocas del Toro Airport were suspended overnight but resumed the next day. The ongoing investigation by the AAC is expected to yield safety recommendations to prevent similar runway excursions, particularly for regional turboprop operations in tropical climates.

Location: Panama

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