Aero Commander 500-S accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 28, 2005
On February 28, 2005 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Aero Commander 500-S, registered N97VB, was destroyed in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munoz Marin I'Ntl Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel truck operator's improper refueling of a gasoline engine powered airplane with jet (turbine) fuel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight, which resulted in a loss of power in both engines and subsequent collision with trees. Factors associated with the accident were the unclear communications between the Spanish-speaking fuel truck operator and the English-speaking pilot, and the fuel truck operator's lack of familiarity with the accident airplane's fueling requirements. An additional factor was the absence of the required placards adjacent to the fuel filler caps indicating that only gasoline (av-gas) should be used.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2005 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Luis Munoz Marin I'Ntl Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500-S · all 500-Ss on the register
- Registration
- N97VB · no longer on the register · serial 3233
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-Spanish speaking commercial pilot was preparing for a Title 14, CFR Part 135 on-demand charter flight in a twin-engine airplane with gasoline engines. A non-English speaking fuel truck operator inadvertently serviced the accident airplane with 120 gallons of Jet-A turbine fuel. In the pilot's written statement he reported that just after takeoff, with six passengers aboard, both engines began to lose power, and the airplane subsequently descended and collided with tree-covered terrain at the departure end of the runway. An on-site examination of the fuel vender's Jet-A fuel truck disclosed that the dispensing nozzle installed on the truck was the same nozzle as a typical gasoline nozzle. An examination of the accident airplane's fuel caps and fueling ports disclosed that the accident airplane was equipped with round, fuel tank inlet restrictors, that would prevent fueling from a jet fuel nozzle of the appropriate size, but the fueling ports were not placarded with the required statement indicating that only gasoline (av-gas) should be used.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,038 hours in all; 282 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 958 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,943 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 2004; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TJSJ San Juan PR at 3:10 pm
- Destination: TUPW Virgin Gorda
- Runway 10, 8,016 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:21 pm from TJSJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.