Aerolínea Lanhsa Flight LNH018

Aerolínea Lanhsa — Flight LNH018

Aerolínea Lanhsa Flight 018 crashed into the Caribbean Sea shortly after departing from Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport on March 17, 2025. The British Aerospace Jetstream 32 experienced a suspected engine failure one minute after takeoff, reaching a maximum altitude of only 20 to 35 feet before banking right and impacting the water. Of the 17 people on board, 12 were killed, including Honduran musician and politician Aurelio Martínez. The wreckage was located submerged at a depth of approximately 50 meters, roughly 150 meters beyond the airport perimeter fence and approximately one kilometer from the departure end of runway 07.

Aircraft

British Aerospace Jetstream 32

Registration

HR-AYW

Phase

Cause

Souls on Board

Fatalities

Origin → Dest

Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport (RTB), Roatán, Honduras → Golosón International Airport (LCE), La Ceiba, Honduras

Report

Investigation Summary

The flight was a charter service operating from Roatán to La Ceiba. Shortly after lifting off from runway 07, the aircraft suffered a significant loss of power, which local authorities attributed to a failure in one of the Honeywell TPE331 turboprop engines. The aircraft was unable to maintain climb, deviating to the right of the runway centerline at an extremely low altitude of 20 to 35 feet. During this sequence, the aircraft reportedly struck a perimeter structure or fence before impacting the sea approximately 150 meters from the airport boundary. Search and rescue operations were complicated by the rocky seabed and the depth of the wreckage, which was found at approximately 50 meters. Five survivors were rescued from the water and transported to local hospitals with various injuries, including head trauma and a fractured shinbone. The accident led to the immediate suspension of Aerolínea Lanhsa's operations, and the airline ceased all activity by April 2025.

Final Conclusions

The investigation is being conducted by the Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación (CIAIA) of Honduras. A preliminary report was released on April 25, 2025, confirming the flight path and low altitude reached. An interim report was released on March 18, 2026, which stated that the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) had not yet been recovered from the submerged wreckage. The investigation remains ongoing to determine the specific cause of the engine failure and the subsequent loss of control.

Video Analysis

Honduras Lansha Flight 018 Plane Crash — Legal and aviation commentary on the Lanhsa Flight 018 tragedy in Roatán, Honduras.

Watch on YouTube ↗

If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.

Airframe & Maintenance

Airframe Hours

Engines

Honeywell TPE331

Systems & Failure Modes

Honeywell TPE331 Engines

The aircraft was powered by twin TPE331 turboprop engines; one engine reportedly lost power during the initial climb phase.

Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)

As of the March 2026 interim report, the CVR had not been recovered from the underwater crash site.

Interesting Facts

01The aircraft was 35 years old at the time of the accident, manufactured in 1989.
02Honduran musician and former congressman Aurelio Martínez was among the 12 fatalities.
03The wreckage was found submerged at a depth of 50 to 60 meters on a rocky seabed.
04Aerolínea Lanhsa ceased all operations in April 2025 following the crash.
05The aircraft registration was HR-AYW, previously registered as C-FIBA and N3126.
06Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft may have struck an airport perimeter structure before impacting the water.

Safety Actions & Advisories

Operational Suspension

Aerolínea Lanhsa suspended all flight operations in April 2025 following the accident.

Location

Off Roatán, Honduras · 16.3166, -86.5198