According to Guyana’s Transport Minister Robeson Benn the aircraft was on a technical survey mission for the Amaila Falls hydropower access road to do a LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) survey for the best geometrical and other alignments for the road.
The Piper Aztec twin-engine aircraft had just taken off from Guyana’s Ogle airport when the pilots reported to air traffic control that they had “lost an engine” and were encountering difficulties. Shortly after people in the local community reported hearing a loud explosion as the aircraft crashed into a home.
The aircraft N-27FT is a Piper PA-23-250 Aztec construction # 27-7654174 is registered in the USA to Angiel Envirosafe Inc of Wilmington, DE 19802, United States but operates by Pierre Angiel out of Boat 5, 2290 NW North River Drive, Miami, Florida 33125.
According to their website (http://www.angielenvirosafe.com/) Envirosafe Inc. provides surveying, airborne remote sensing, and aerial photography in Americas, Caribbean, Bahamas, and Europe.
One aviation source last recorded the aircraft on April 01, 2013 departing Opa-locka Executive Airport at 6:47 am EDT and arriving at 11:37 am AST in Gregorio Luperon International Airport, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.