Piper PA-32-260 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 18, 1985
On July 18, 1985 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3714W, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munox Marin airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- July 18, 1985 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Luis Munox Marin
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3714W · no longer on the register · serial 32-627
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS TAXIING NORTHBOUND ON THE NORTH-SOUTH TAXIWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE MOVING WESTBOUND ALONG THE EAST-WEST ACCESS ROAD. THE ACCESS ROAD IS A DESIGNATED NON-MOVEMENT AREA UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PUERTO RICO PORT AUTHORITY. THE PLT STATED HE NEVER SAW THE SLOW MOVING VEHICLE COMING FROM THE EAST. THE CONTROL GUARD STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD AT THE STOP SIGN LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,400 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days; 5,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,672 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 27, 1985; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flemenco Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SJU at 6:50 pm
- Destination: SIG San Juan PR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from SJU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.