Isla Grande Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Juan
Wednesday, October 29, 1986 13:10 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ACFT USED MOST OF THE RWY TO TAKEOFF, REACHED AN APRX ALTITUDE OF 60 FEET, THEN PULLED UP TO CLEAR AN EMBANKMENT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT STRUCK A TALL PALM TREE & CRASHED BETWEEN 2 ROADS, NEAR AN INTERSECTION, WHERE THE ROADS MERGED. THE CARGO WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT & WEIGHED. COMPUTATIONS SHOWED THAT THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE ACFT WAS EXCEEDED BY APPROXIMATELY 1928 LBS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City SAN JUAN
Event State PUERTO RICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00630
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ISLA GRANDE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SIG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SJU
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1818
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 29 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1246
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32279
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N778L
NTSB Number MIA87FA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-3
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-3
Aircraft Serial Number S5-3245
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
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 16
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 22 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6290
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INDEP-LINE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. OX 4465
Aircraft Owner City CAROLINA
Aircraft Owner State PR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00630
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 1310
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 10:36AM
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 --