Luis Munoz Marin Int Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Juan
Tuesady, March 10, 1992 7:05 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING LANDING ROLLOUT IN VFR CONDITIONS, A DC-3C, OPERATED BY A 14 CFR PART 135 OPERATOR, ON A 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT, NOSED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY SUBSTAINING MINOR DAMAGE. THE PIC, SIC, UNAUTHORIZED JUMPSEAT RIDER, AND TWO CARGO LOADERS LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT/FORWARD COMPARTMENT WERE NOT INJURED. NO CARGO, BALLAST, OR PASSENGER SEATS FOR THE CARGO LOADERS WERE LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER LOADING OF PERSONNEL, AND IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE FIRST OFFICER/CO-PILOT WHILE CALCULATING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITS FOR THE FLIGHT. THIS RESULTED IN THE FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT BEING EXCEEDED AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE DOWN OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ABSENCE OF PASSENGER SEATS FOR THE CARGO LOADERS OR BALLAST IN THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/10/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 705
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City SAN JUAN
Event State PUERTO RICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00913
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LUIS MUNOZ MARIN INT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TJSJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
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 650 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID TJSJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45942
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N135FS
NTSB Number MIA92IA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-3C
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-3C
Aircraft Serial Number 20063
Certified Max Gross Weight 26900
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 221
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOUR STAR AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address C.F. KING AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City ST.THOMAS
Aircraft Owner State VI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00802
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FOUR STAR AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address C.F. KING AIRPORT
Operator City ST.THOMAS
Operator State VI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 00802
Operator Code FHCA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code STT
Departure City ST. THOMAS
Departure State VI
Departure Country
Departure Time 635
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 8016
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --