Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 accident near Vieques, Puerto Rico, April 20, 2000
On April 20, 2000 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600, registered N7528S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vieques, Puerto Rico (Antonio Rivera Rodriguez airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions during approach to landing resulting in the aircraft touching down hard, short of the runway, and receiving substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2000 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vieques, Puerto Rico · Antonio Rivera Rodriguez
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N7528S · registry record · serial 60-0190-086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while approaching to land, the aircraft entered a downward motion and touched down about 10 feet short of the runway. He taxied to the ramp after landing and discovered the aircraft had sustained substantial damage.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 901 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 729 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 27, 2000; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1F5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X95 Fajardo PR at 5:30 pm
- Destination: VQS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from SJU, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.