Piper PA-30 accident near Ponce, Puerto Rico, February 8, 2001
On February 8, 2001 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N181MM, was destroyed in an accident near Ponce, Puerto Rico (Mercedita International airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt flight with known deficiencies in the airplanes right engine, his failure to feather the right propeller after the engine failed , his failure to retract the landing gear following the engine failure, and his failure to maintain minimum single engine control speed (Vmc), resulting in loss of control of the airplane and impact with the ground during an uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2001 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ponce, Puerto Rico · Mercedita International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N181MM · no longer on the register · serial 30-197
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the pilot having trouble starting the right engine after refueling. Once the right engine was started it made a popping sound. The pilot proceeded to taxi to the runway and takeoff with the right engine still making a popping sound. The airplane was observed to climb to about 250 to 300 feet with the landing gear still extended. The airplane then began to descend and turn to the right. After turning to a downwind position, the airplane rolled rapidly to the right and descended, impacting the ground in a near vertical attitude. Postcrash examination showed the left propeller was rotating during impact and there was no evidence of failure or malfunction of the left engine. The right propeller showed no evidence of rotating under power at ground impact and the propeller blades were locked on the start latches at the 18 degree position. No evidence of failure or malfunction of the right propeller or propeller governor was found. The right engine assembly showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction. The right engine fuel servo had a bent regulator stem which caused sticking of the fuel regulator and abnormal fuel mixtures. The right fuel selector was found off after the accident and the mixture, throttle and propeller controls for the right engine were found in the low midrange position. The landing gear and landing gear control were found in the landing gear extended position. The wing flaps were retracted. The checklist for engine failure requires the pilot to retract the landing gear, maintain at least the single engine minimum control speed, and shutdown the failed engine and feather the propeller.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,574 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,295 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 7, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,202 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2000; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSE Ponce PR at 12:00 pm
- Destination: STT St. Thomas
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 6,904 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from PSE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.