Piper PA-23 N556PR

Summary

On 18 August 1994 at about 22:02 local time, a Piper PA-23 registered N556PR was involved in an accident near San Juan. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 1994 at 22:02

Classification

Accident

Location

San Juan

Nearest airport

Fernando Dominicci (SIG)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-23

Registration

N556PR

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA94LA197

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS IMPROPER AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND DRAINING OF FUEL TANKS AND HIS LACK OF TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER ON TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND DID NOT CLIMB HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR A CONSTRUCTION CRANE THAT WAS LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE CRANE AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND CRASHED UPRIGHT INTO THE BAY. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE TO HIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY DRAIN ALL WATER FROM THE FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO FLIGHT. THE LEFT ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE CRASH AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD A MULTI-ENGINE RATING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAS 6 HOURS OF MULTI-ENGINE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TIME AND NO DUAL INSTRUCTION IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.