Britten-Norman BN-2A-9 accident near Culebra, Puerto Rico, February 15, 2022
On February 15, 2022 at about 1:55 pm local time, a 1973 Britten-Norman BN-2A-9, registered N821RR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Culebra, Puerto Rico (Benjamin Rivera Noriega airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew’s failure to arrest the descent rate during the non-standard approach, which resulted in a hard landing and failure of the right-wing structure. Contributing was the flight instructor’s selection of a challenging approach for initial training.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2022 · about 1:55 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Culebra, Puerto Rico · Benjamin Rivera Noriega · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2A-9, built 1973 · all BN-2A-9s on the register
- Registration
- N821RR · registry record · serial 338
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was receiving flight training as a new hire, and the accident occurred during his first flight in the airplane and the first landing. The pilot stated the approach was flown at the upper end of the allowable approach speed, and about 100 ft above the normal glidepath. During the landing, all three of the airplane’s landing gear touched down at the same time, the airplane immediately veered right, and continued off the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing structure. The flight instructor chose an airport with a challenging approach that required a special training program prior to the first landing. The approach procedure requires a left 40° turn then rolling wings level just before touchdown. It is likely that the airplane’s descent rate during landing exceeded the airplane’s capability, which resulted in a hard landing and failure of the right-wing structure.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Aircraft structural failure during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Flight crew
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Unnecessary action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,550 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 7,346 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 22, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 5,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,864.2 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 27, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Charter INC DBA
The flight
- Departed from: TJIG San Juan PR at 9:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from JNR, 20 miles away
Weather report (METAR): TJNR 151353Z AUTO 05009KT 10SM OVC100 27/23 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP212 T02720228
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Left side view of Airplane where it came to rest.
Photo 2 – Front view of airplane where it came to rest.
Photo 3 – View of ground scars on runway 13.
Photo 4 – Propeller slash marks and ground scar on runway
Photo 5 – View of right wing mid spar damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on June 28, 2023. 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 | Airworthiness Group Chair's Factual Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airworthiness Group Chair's Factual Report Attachment 1 - Cpx Training Materials | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Manufacturer Submission | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Operator Training Manual | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Photos | PDF, 7 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N821RR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N821RR on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Britten-Norman BN-2 54 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Britten-Norman 51 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 15 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 15 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Benjamin Rivera Noriega Airport · nearest airport
- Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Puerto Rico 282 since 1982 · 33 in the last ten years
- Puerto Rico 492 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N821RR 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA22LA123.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.