The aircraft departed Fort-de-France's Le Lamentin Airport on a scheduled flight to New York City via St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda and San Juan, Puerto Rico. There were 21 passengers and a crew of nine on board. While on approach to Coolidge International Airport in stormy weather, at an altitude of , the aircraft hit the -high Chances Peak and caught fire. The cause was determined to be pilot error: the crew made a navigational error and descended below the safe minimum altitude while unsure of their position.