Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pico, Duarte
Wednesday, April 17, 2002 15:45 CH

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 17, 2002, a Cessna 172P, operated by CARIBAIR, S.A. (Dominican Republic registration HI-375, manufacturer's serial no. 172-74586), crashed in mountainous terrain. The airplane was destroyed on impact and all four persons on board (pilot and three passengers) were report fatally injured. All four persons were reportedly citizens of the Dominican Republic. The on-demand air taxi flight originated in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and the destination was Port au Prince, Haiti. The flight departed about 1100 local time on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan in reported visual meteorological conditions (VMC), and the crash is estimated to have occurred about 1545 universal coordinated time (1145 local). The flight was reported missing and, after a search effort assisted by military helicopters, located on Pico Duarte mountain. Weather in the impact area about the time of the crash was reported as heavy rain and fog. The flight was conducted under the authority of the Civil Aviation Authority, Dominican Republic. Cessna Aircraft Product Safety sent an investigator to the site to assist the investigator-in-charge. For further information, contact: Sr. Miguel Isacio Diaz Investigator-in-Charge Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC) Edificio de Oficinas Gubernamentales Avenida Mexico Exq. Dr. Delgado Bloque "A," Postal 1180 Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana 809 221-7909, ext. 220 U.S. Accredited Representative: Thomas R. Conroy Air Safety Investigator Office of Aviation Safety Regional Operations and General Aviation Division, AS-20 Washington, DC 20594 1 202 314-6314

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone --
Event City Pico, Duarte
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Cessna Aircraft
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 1 2002 6:26PM
User who most recently changed record JOND
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office AAI-100

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number WAS02WA035
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
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? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Santo Domingo
Operator State --
Operator Country DR
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code ROAF
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Santiago
Departure State --
Departure Country DR
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MTPP
Destination City Port au Prince
Destination State --
Destination Country HA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 1 2002 6:26PM
User who most recently changed record JOND
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --