Probe into deadly ASL plane crash nearing completion – GCAA Director General

Approximately three months after a deadly Air Services Limited (ASL) plane crash near Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), investigators have entered the final phase of the probe.
This was disclosed by Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director General, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Egbert Field.
The Cessna 208 aircraft, bearing registration number 8R-YAC, crashed shortly after departing Mahdia, on April 10, 2026. The aircraft was on a cargo shuttle flight bound for Imbaimadai, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and was expected to arrive at its destination at 08:40h. After the pilot failed to report his arrival, a flight progress check was initiated at 08:44h. At the time, weather conditions in the area were reportedly poor, with heavy rainfall and reduced visibility.

The single-engine aircraft was being operated by Captain Ryder Castillo, a Nicaraguan national with approximately 20 years of flying experience. He was the sole occupant on board and had been employed by ASL for about a decade.
Search efforts led to the visual identification of the suspected crash site by two Trans Guyana Airways Cessna Caravans and a Britten-Norman Islander.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday, Field disclosed that the Annex 13 investigation has now reached its final stage.
An International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13 investigation is an official, non-punitive aircraft accident or incident inquiry aimed strictly at preventing future occurrences rather than assigning blame. Conducted by the State where the event occurred, it follows international standards for data collection, reporting and state participation.