Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER and Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER mid-air collision near Fajardo, Puerto Rico, August 7, 1997
On August 7, 1997 at about 4:48 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER (N26JA) and Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER (N1202S), were involved in a mid-air collision near Fajardo, Puerto Rico (Diego Jimenez Torres airport). 1 person was seriously injured and 5 people had minor injuries; 8 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate visual lookout of the pilot of N1202S which resulted in the overtaking of and collision with N26JA
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1997 · about 4:48 pm local time
- Place
- Fajardo, Puerto Rico · Diego Jimenez Torres
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 5 people had minor injuries; 8 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER BN-2 ISLAN
- Registration
- N26JA · no longer on the register · serial 375
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER BN-2 ISLAN
- Registration
- N1202S · registry record · serial 193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 7, 1997, about 1248 Atlantic Standard Time, two Britten-Norman BN-2 airplanes, collided in flight, over the landing threshold of runway 08, at the Diego Jimenez Airport, Fajardo, Puerto Rico (PR). Both airplanes were conducting a visual approach at the uncontrolled airport. The pilot of N1202S, was executing a non-standard right traffic pattern approach to landing, while the pilot of N26JA was executing a standard left traffic pattern approach to landing. The airplanes collided over the approach threshold of runway 08, about 100 feet agl. Passengers on N26JA, stated that the other airplane was coming from the right much lower then their airplane and disappeared under them. The next time they saw the other airplane they were colliding into its tail section. Examination of both airplanes revealed no mechanical discrepancies.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER final · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 7, 1997, about 1248 Atlantic Standard Time, two Britten-Norman BN-2 airplanes, collided in flight, over the landing threshold of runway 08, at the Diego Jimenez Airport, Fajardo, Puerto Rico (PR). Both airplanes were conducting a visual approach at the uncontrolled airport. The pilot of N1202S, was executing a non-standard right traffic pattern approach to landing, while the pilot of N26JA was executing a standard left traffic pattern approach to landing. The airplanes collided over the approach threshold of runway 08, about 100 feet agl. Passengers on N26JA, stated that the other airplane was coming from the right much lower then their airplane and disappeared under them. The next time they saw the other airplane they were colliding into its tail section. Examination of both airplanes revealed no mechanical discrepancies.
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 for the Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 37,000 hours in all; 3,200 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 36,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,738 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 4, 1997; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPX Culebra PR at 5:21 pm
- Destination: X95
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from JNR, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 | 4 |
The factual record for the Pilatus BN-2 ISLANDER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1996; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VQS Vieques PR
- Destination: X95
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.