Cessna 441 accident near Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, January 5, 2002
On January 5, 2002 at about 6:23 pm local time, a Cessna 441, registered N441AW, was destroyed in an accident near Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot continued visual flight flight into instrument flight conditions resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain. Low clouds were a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2002 · about 6:23 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Grande, Puerto Rico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 441 · all 441s on the register
- Registration
- N441AW · no longer on the register · serial 441-0199
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 3,609 hours in all; 1,494 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,200 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 11, 2001; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,850 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-10N (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CPX Culebra PR at 5:09 pm
- Destination: SJU San Juan PR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 003° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from TJNR, 8 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.