CHRONOLOGY OF BTTR SHOOTDOWN, 24 FEBRUARY 1996

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06112372
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: March 25, 2019
• Case Number: F-2013-02649
• Publication Date: February 24, 1996

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Ceranotugy of BTTR Sboottiown. '24 February 1996
0928 Brothers to thc R=eue (BTTR) etc: six flight plans telephonically, initially for a 1015 planned
departure.
1000- Cuban fighters airborae in reaction to lxlieved incursion into Cuban territOrial airs;..ace by
1200 aircraft operattdby 81-7R.. Cuban fighters return to base without making aontIM with
any ai
1148 Trria. updates in= flight plans to refit= intended 1230 departure. Other three flight plans
automatically expired at 1215.
1312 Three US-based BITR. aircraft depart Opa Locks Airfield, Miami:
Aircraft Number Color
t N2506 Light Blue
2 N24568 White and Blue
3 N548.5$ White and Blue w/ Red Stripe
1456- Three BTT.R. aircraft inform the Havana Air Traffic ControlCenter that they intend to operate
1457 south of the 24th parallel. Control Center warns aircraft not to zly south of 24th Walk: 6:cause
the area was "active and dangerous." BriTt aircraft respond they are aware of danger but will be
flying south of 24th parallel anyway.
1507- US Customs radar thaws the three BTTR aircraft a.m.-at:mg south of the 24th parallel.
1516 US Customs radar also shows two fast-moving aircraft airSerne mut,. of Havana. Subsequent
information identifies them as a lvilO-23 and a M1O-29 that depne.4 San Antonio de los Banos
1518 US Customs radar shows Aircraft 1 as approximately I NM comb of Cuban territorial airspace
(approximately 12 nautical miles from the Cuban coastline) and head.ins south. Aircraft I and 2
arc approximately a Nlvt north of Cubain territorial airra and headed east
1519 Data derived from US Customs radar shows Aim= ft 1 has entered Cuban territorial airspam
152.0 Cuban fighters request permission to Are on a white and blue Csna 331 aircraft. Cuban round
controllers tve pilot authorization to destroy air.
1521 The M10-29 pilot reports that Aircraft 2 has bmn destroyed.
1f24 US Cisterns radar shows no Aircraft 2 ma SCVIX. US C.Nistotra radar last observed Aircraft 2
at 2326N 08229W (approximately .1 NM outside Cuban ter:110631 airspa=).
1524 The MX-29 pilot YiSt1.1.11? acquires Aircraft 3.
1526 Aircraft 1 revc..�....es course and exits Cuban territorial air.r.I.,ace Cuban grctind controllers give
authorization to destroy Aircraft 3.
1528 .� Mig-29 pilot reports Aircraft is destroy. US Customs radar shcws no Aircraft s.>. US
Customs radar last 1=tes Aircraft 2 at 2337N 08222W (approxixtiateiy 16 NM from Oitac
territorial airspace).
1709 Aircraft 1 ?Ands at OtiaLcd-ca Airfield in Mianu.
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Cuba Aircraft Shootchown of '24 February 1996
Timeline of Events
(All antes local)
Information from US Customs, supplemented by observations from ships in the area.
indicates that two L'S civilian aircraft, shot down by tiCuban M1G-29, were in
international airspace; the lead US plane which returned s:Lfely to Miami did enter Cuban
airspace as part of an operation conducted by the Florida based emigre group Brothers to
the Rescue (BTTR).
The MIG-29 apparently made no effort to contact the emigre pilots, wag iLS wings or �
escort them from the 4ata before requesting permission to fire.
10:00 am - Noon During the hours leading up to the shootdown, we know that
Cuban tighter aircraft had been conducting air pacrol.s in eaction Co what they believed to
be an incursion into Cuban air space. The Cuban aircraft returned to their base making no
tact with any aircraft.
11:48 am BITR updates their night plans to reflect intended 1230 departure.
1:13 pm According to the FAA, three B-17R aircraft take cff from Op a E..c�cka
airtleid in Florida.
2:57 pm B-1.7-R aircraft number one contacts the Havana civilian air traffic controller
arid informs it that the BTTR aircraft planned to operate south of the 24th parallel. The
Cuban air traffic cr,�ntrolicr acknowledges receipt of the flght plan and ir,forr.s the aircraft
of the danger in operating south of the 24th parallel. BTTP. aircraft made it clear t.nat they
were aware of the danger each tirte they crossed the parallel but were, LS USU.!. flying In
anyway.
3:01 pm ALL three aimraft are operating south of the 24th parallel.
3:07-3:16 pm One ?v1.T.G-23 and one MIG-29 Cuban aircraft are airborne north of
Havana.
3:18 pm n 3-17-R aircraft number one is approximately 1 cm north of Cuban terrnal
airspace and heading south. The other two STIR aircraft are approximately 8 nrn ior
of Cuba's territorial airspace and headed east.
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3 9 pm aTIR aircraft number one penetrates Cuba's 12 mile territorial airspace.
3:22 pm
BT7R aircraft number one penetrates 2 nrn 11110 Cuba's territorial airspace.
Approx. 3:23 pm The ?vIIG-29 reports to its control tower sighting a small white and
.niud aircraft (BITR aircraft number two) flying at a low altitude. The MIC pursues and
identifies the aircraft as a Cessna 337,
3:21 pm The MIG-29 pilot reports that aircraft number two had been shot down.
US Customs radar shows that BTTR aircraft number two is no longer on scope at 3:24.
The shootdown occurs approximately 5 am north of Cuba's 12 mile territorial airspace.
The crew of a Norwegian-nagged cruise ship. .located in international waters, sets
the expiosion of this second aircraft from 6-7 nm away. and places the shootdown at
approximately 8 nm outside of the Cuban territorial limit.
The crew of a US- registered fishing boat. also in international waters. observes the
downing of the 'second aircraft. The fishing boat arrives at the crash site and sees an oil
slick and an orange float.
Approx. 3:26-3:28 pm The MC pilot notes he has Fill-ra aircraft number three in
sight, requests permission to destroy it. receives perMission, and reports the aircraft
destroyed. At 3:31 pm the piahe disappears from US Customs radar. This occurs
approxima:e.ly 16 nm north of Cuban territorial airspace (approx. 28 nm from the coa.st).
The crews of the cruise shii.s, and the fishing boat observe a MIG fire a missile and
destroy aircraft number three. The cruise ship places the clowning of the plane at about I:
ru-r, outside or-Cuba's twelve mile territorial limit. Aperoxlmately 15 minutes later, the
cruise ship passed within. 2.3 TIM of the crash site and observed an oil slick Cut no debris.
5:09 pm s-m.. aircraft number one lands at Opa Locka.
2
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The continuing flow of intelligence since Saturday, !the
day cf the shcct down, has caused Qs tc modify some of ou-
estimates, and the IC will continue cc make revisions as
data improves. But four key judgmencs we made by Sunday
morninc have only been strengthened since then.
Firac, .che twc unarmed US civilian aircraft. were shot'
down by air-to-air missiles from a Cuban M.:G-29 in
international airspace. We relied on US Customs radar to
make this determination originally. Since then, independent
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radar displays frcm the Caribbean Recional Center and MCRAD
Southeast Sector confiv'm this conclusion. And a Morwpgian..
flagaed cruise ship and a US-recistered fishing boa: r-ni474.,�
scene also placed the down aircraft in intenaticnal
4econd, the MIG-29 etd not contact
the civilian pilots,
wag s wings, or try to escort them from the area--as�
required by international law- -before requestinc and
receivirls permission to fire.
Mhirdi
the 'ead US civilian aircraft did penetrate
about 3nm inco Cuban airspace before reurninc safely to
miami.
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Shootdown of Two US
Civilian ,;..i.reraft, 24 February 1996
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