Cessna 182 accident near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, July 25, 2007
On July 25, 2007 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N6428A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arecibo, Puerto Rico (Antonio Juarbe airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power during climb, and an off-airport forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 2007 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Arecibo, Puerto Rico · Antonio Juarbe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N6428A · no longer on the register · serial 33228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was climbing the airplane with four skydivers aboard when the engine lost power. The pilot told the skydivers to jump when he could not restart the engine, and they all jumped successfully without injury. The pilot made a forced landing short of the departure runway, and the airplane collided with small trees, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Examination of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical problems. The two fuel tanks were not damaged in the accident, and a total of 1.5 gallons was drained from both tanks. The airplane's operation manual indicates that the amount of unusable fuel is 2.5 gallons per tank, or a total of 5 gallons.
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: 230 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 129 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABO Arecibo PR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ABO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.