Britten-Norman BN-2A-27 accident near Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, September 29, 2004
On September 29, 2004 at about 10:59 pm local time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-27, registered N902GD, was destroyed in an accident near Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper inflight planning which resulted in an inflight encounter with weather (low ceilings and thunderstorms), his loss of aircraft control, and an inflight collision with the ocean during uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2004 · about 10:59 pm local time
- Place
- Vega Baja, Puerto Rico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2A-27 · all BN-2A-27s on the register
- Registration
- N902GD · no longer on the register · serial 905
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 29, 2004, about 1859, Atlantic standard time, the accident airplane, N902GD, operating as an "on demand" air taxi flight, transporting bank financial documents, departed Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and was later reported as not having arrived at its destination. Search and rescue assets later discovered airplane related debris, specific to the missing airplane, floating in the Atlantic Ocean, in the vicinity of geographic position 18 degrees 29 minutes north latitude, 066 degrees 27 minutes west longitude. The NTSB evaluated radar and weather data, and radar track data for the flight showed that after departure the accident airplane climbed to 1,700 feet, and then descended to 1,300 feet at 1840. From 1840 to 1850, the radar data indicated that the flight was proceeding east along the northern coast of Puerto Rico, at an altitude of 1,100 feet. About 1855, the data showed that the airplane climbed to 1,400 feet, and about 1856, it descended to about 1,000 feet. About 1858, the airplane descended to 800 feet, and then to 600 feet, before disappearing from radar at 18:59:18. Weather data showed that a weak upper air trough, a moist low level southeasterly flow and associated showers and thunderstorms had formed over Puerto Rico during the time of the accident flight. The weather data showed that at departure visual meteorological conditions existed, but doppler weather radar data showed that a 50 dBz (level 5) rain shower was positioned about 3 to 5 miles off the airplane's right wing from 1837 to 1838, and from 1855 to 1901 there was a level 4-5 (45-50 dBZ) rain shower along the accident airplane's track, and the radar track data along with the doppler weather radar data was consistent with the flight having penetrated the rain shower corresponding to the time radar contact with the flight was lost. The NTSB Weather Group Chairman's Report has been included as an attachment to the factual report.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 6,360 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
The flight
- Departed from: TJMZ Mayaguez PR at 11:45 pm
- Destination: TJAJ San Juan PR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Sky: scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from TJSJ, 23 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.