Fernando Dominicci Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Juan
Thursday, August 18, 1994 18:02 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER ON TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND DID NOT CLIMB HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR A CONSTRUCTION CRANE THAT WAS LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE CRANE AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND CRASHED UPRIGHT INTO THE BAY. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE TO HIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY DRAIN ALL WATER FROM THE FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO FLIGHT. THE LEFT ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE CRASH AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD A MULTI-ENGINE RATING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAS 6 HOURS OF MULTI-ENGINE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TIME AND NO DUAL INSTRUCTION IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS IMPROPER AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND DRAINING OF FUEL TANKS AND HIS LACK OF TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1802
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City SAN JUAN
Event State PUERTO RICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00902
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FERNANDO DOMINICCI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SIG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID JSJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 14
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 361
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2146
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N556PR
NTSB Number MIA94LA197
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23
Aircraft Serial Number 23-760
Certified Max Gross Weight 3500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 11 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 6705
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOTO, FRANCISCO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3RD ST. C 1 EL CORTIJ
Aircraft Owner City BAYAMON
Aircraft Owner State PR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00956
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1801
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 5317
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --