Cessna 441 N441AW

Summary

On 5 January 2002 at about 18:23 local time, a Cessna 441 registered N441AW, operated by Alex F. Wojciechowicz, was involved in an accident near Rio Grande, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 January 2002 at 18:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Rio Grande, United States

Coordinates

18.3178, -65.7672

Aircraft

Cessna 441

Registration

N441AW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Alex F. Wojciechowicz

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Culebra → San Juan

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL02FA031

5 people died.

The pilot continued visual flight flight into instrument flight conditions resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain. Low clouds were a factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a visual rules flight from Culebra, Puerto Rico to San Juan, Puerto Rico. No flight plan was filed and a weather briefing was not obtained. The pilot contacted San Juan Radar Approach Control 10 miles east of Fajardo, Puerto Rico and the controller stated the airplane was in radar contact 3 miles east of Farjardo airport. The pilot was instructed to enter a right downwind for runway 10 south of plaza Carolina. The pilot acknowledged the transmission and reported he was at 1,600 feet. Two minutes later the controller stated on the radio frequency, radar contact was lost. The airplane was located by ground personnel on the side of El Yunque Mountain. Review of weather data revealed a weak cold front extended over Puerto Rico. Satellite imagery at the time of the accident revealed a band of low clouds obscuring the accident site. A police helicopter pilot who attempted to reach the crash site reported instrument flight conditions. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assemblies and accessories revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.