Piper PA-28-180 accident near Patillas, Puerto Rico, February 24, 2010
On February 24, 2010 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5212L, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Patillas, Puerto Rico (Patillas Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s decision to abort the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2010 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Patillas, Puerto Rico · Patillas Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5212L · registry record · serial 28-4504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) stated that the student pilot was performing the takeoff. Upon reaching 65 knots, the student pilot panicked for no apparent reason and pulled the throttle back to abort the takeoff. The CFI knew that there was not enough runway remaining to safely stop, and took control of the airplane to continue the takeoff. The airplane was able to clear trees at the departure end of the runway, but the CFI stated that he was too low to gain airspeed or a positive rate of climb. The CFI elected to land in a river to avoid trees and rising terrain immediately ahead, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 200 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 19, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,494 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X64 Patillas PR at 1:30 pm
- Destination: X64 Patillas PR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from TJSJ, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
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.