Beech B200 accident near Carolina, Puerto Rico, January 11, 2016
On January 11, 2016 at about 2:00 am local time, a 1982 Beech B200, registered N87SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) shutdown) near Carolina, Puerto Rico (San Juan Luis Munoz Internatio airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to actuate the parking brake prior to leaving his seat, resulting in substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2016 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Carolina, Puerto Rico · San Juan Luis Munoz Internatio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B200 UNDESIGNAT, built 1982 · all B200s on the register
- Registration
- N87SA · registry record · serial BB-1089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he parked the airplane and shut down the requisite systems, then proceeded to the back of the airplane to allow the passengers to disembark and set the wheel chocks. He reported that as he began to open the cabin door, he realized that the airplane was rolling backwards. The airplane rolled into the wall of the airport terminal and the left and right elevators sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane or any of its systems that would have prevented normal operation. According to the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook and the operator, the accident airplane was equipped with a parking brake. The operator reported that their maintenance department inspected the parking brake system after the accident, and in accordance with the Beech B200 service manual and found no failures or 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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) shutdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,597 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 9,597 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,545.6 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, December 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-42 (turboprop); 3,389 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-42 (turboprop); 1,081 hours total
- Operator: Island Airlines, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: TISX St. Croix at 8:45 pm
- Destination: TJSJ Carolina PR
- Runway 10, 8,610 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from TJSJ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 5 |
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.