Eipper QUICKSILVER accident near Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, December 22, 2019
On December 22, 2019 at about 1:10 pm local time, a 2003 Eipper QUICKSILVER, registered N211RR, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadvertent movement of the fuel shutoff switch to the “off” position while attempting to take a picture of himself, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a subsequent ditching in open water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2019 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Mayaguez, Puerto Rico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eipper QUICKSILVER MXII, built 2003
- Registration
- N211RR · registry record · serial 0631
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, while attempting to take a picture of himself, he accidentally moved the fuel shutoff switch to the "off" position, which resulted in a loss of all engine power. He ditched the airplane onto open water and was rescued by boaters. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing and the structural tubing of the fuselage.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute
- Fuel starvation during enroute defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 720 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mayaguez PR at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Mayaguez PR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from TJBQ, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 27, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAA Pilot Interview | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Summary for Record – Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.