Vieques Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vieques
Thursday, August 2, 1984 8:05 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS REPORTED HE HEARD AN APPARENT ENG PROBLEM AFTER THE ACFT TOOK OFF & BEGAN A LEFT TURN FOR A X-WIND DEPARTURE. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT OSCILLATED, THEN AFTER REGAINING SOME LOST ALT, IT BANKED ABRUPTLY TO THE LEFT, NOSED DOWN, & SUBSEQUENTLY, CRASHED IN THE OCEAN IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THE LEFT ENG HAD LOST POWER DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATION. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL STORAGE TANK AS WELL AS IN ANOTHER ACFT THAT HAD BEEN REFUELED FROM THE SAME TANK. THE LEFT PROP HAD NOT BEEN FEATHERED & THE FLAPS WERE FOUND FULL DOWN. THE PLT HAD BEEN DESIGNATED FOR 'ON-DEMAND' FLTS, BUT HE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR 'SCHEDULED COMMUTER' FLTS. THE COMPANY HAD DESIGNATED THIS AS AN ON-DEMAND FLT RATHER THAN AN EXTRA-SECTION SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS LOADED 600 TO 700 LBS OVER THE MAX LIMIT & UP TO 5 INCHES BEHIND THE AFT CG LIMIT. FAA SURVEILLANCE OF THE COMPANY OPERATIONS WAS NOT EFFECTIVE IN IDENTIFYING PRBLMS. THE STORAGE TANK FILLER CAP (IN A WELL AREA) WAS NOT WATER TIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 805
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City VIEQUES
Event State PUERTO RICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00765
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VIEQUES
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VQS
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 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 9
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 9
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1975
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25381
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N589SA
NTSB Number DCA84AA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Britten-Norman
Aircraft Model BN-2A ISLANDER
Aircraft Series Identifier BN-2A ISLA
Aircraft Serial Number 38
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VIEQUES AIR LINK, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 487
Aircraft Owner City VIEQUES
Aircraft Owner State PR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 00765
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VIEQUES AIR LINK, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 VAL
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VQS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code STX
Destination City ST CROIX
Destination State VI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 2500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --