Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Puerto Plata
Tuesady, February 6, 1996 23:48 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On February 6, 1996, about 2348 Atlantic standard time, a Boeing 757-200, TC-GEN registered to Birgenair, crashed near Cabarate Beach near Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, while on a passenger charter flight to Frankfurt, Germany. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces with the water, and 176 passengers and 13 crew members were fatally injured. The flight departed General Gregorio Luperon International Airport in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic at 2343 Atlantic standard time. The airplane was climbing through 7000 feet when it was observed on radar to start a right descending turn disappearing from radar descending through 5000 feet radio contact was lost about the same time. The flight was a charter flight for Alas Nacionales destined to Frankfurt, Germany with intermediate stops in Gander, Newfoundland and Berlin, Germany. Birgenair is based in Istanbul, Turkey and leases to Alas Nacionales a Dominican Republic company. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Dominican Republic Aviation Authorities. This report is filed for information purposes only and contains only that information released by the Dominican Republic Aviation Authorities. For additional information contact
Director General de Aeronautica Civil Edificio de Oficinas Gubernamentales II Blogue "A" 2da Planta 9 NO Piso AV 27 de Febrero Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Telephone (809) 221-7902
A video tape of the DFDR and CVR recovery activities is available.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/6/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 2348 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | PUERTO PLATA |
| Event State | -- |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 00000 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Unknown |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2300 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MDP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Not Reported |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 189 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 189 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 7000 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 6 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2343 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | -- |
| NTSB Number | DCA96RA030 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 129: Foreign |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Unknown |
| Aircraft Explosion | Unknown |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOEING |
| Aircraft Model | 757-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 757-200 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Unknown |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | |
| Aircraft Owner City | |
| Aircraft Owner State | |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | CUMHURIYET CAD. #301 FLR.9 |
| Operator City | ISTANBUL |
| Operator State | OF |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 00000 |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | International |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | Unknown |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MDPP |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | OF |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | EDDD |
| Destination City | FRANKFURT |
| Destination State | OF |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |