Aerospatiale ATR72-212 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 8, 2003
On February 8, 2003 at about 9:04 pm local time, a Aerospatiale ATR72-212, registered N448AM, was involved in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munoz Marin International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 61 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The aft passenger stair handrail collapsing due to undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2003 · about 9:04 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Luis Munoz Marin International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 61 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale ATR72-212 · all ATR72-212s on the register
- Registration
- N448AM · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According the airline's director of safety, the airplane had arrived at the terminal and was in the process of deplaning. The director of safety further stated that as the as the 53rd passenger in the sequence of 58 passengers exited the airplane, she grabbed the handrail at the top of the stairs, and the handrail collapsed. He said the passenger fell from the top of the stairs to the ground, and sustained serious injuries. Postincident examination of the hand rail and its locking mechanism did not reveal any 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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 12, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,696 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 12, 2003; 138 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 48,500 lb
- Seats: 68
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127TM (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127TM (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Eagle Executive Airlines Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BGI Barbados at 6:35 pm
- Destination: SJU San Juan PR
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from SJU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 57 |
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.