Piper PA-25-260 accident near Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, September 5, 1983
On September 5, 1983 at about 5:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-260, registered N8576L, was destroyed in an accident near Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1983 · about 5:42 pm local time
- Place
- Quebradillas, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-260 · all PA-25-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8576L · no longer on the register · serial 25-5001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON 9/4/83, THE PLT TOOK OFF FROM ARECIBO, PR ON A FLT OF APRX 26 MI TO AGUADILLA, PR. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION & THE PLT MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING ON A FARM AT QUEBRADILLAS, PR. THE ACFT WAS REFUELED, BUT DURING TAKEOFF THE NEXT DAY, IT COLLIDED WITH A TREE, THEN WENT OVER A CLIFF & CRASHED ON THE BEACH BELOW. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE WAS EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY THAT OWNED THE ACFT & HAD RECOMMENDED THAT THE ACFT BE TRANSPORTED TO THE NEAREST ARPT BY A TRAILER, BUT THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY REFUSED TO ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL. THE PLT THEN DECIDED TO TAKEOFF FROM THE FARM. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE OWNER'S ACCOUNT WAS THAT THE PLT HAD ORIGINALLY FLOWN THE PLANE WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION & KNOWING THAT ONLY 5 GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,343 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-G1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BON Aguadilla PR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from SJU, 48 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.