Douglas DC-3 accident near Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, July 22, 1986
On July 22, 1986 at about 5:53 pm local time, a Douglas DC-3, registered N27PR, was destroyed in an accident near Isla Verde, Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 22, 1986 · about 5:53 pm local time
- Place
- Isla Verde, Puerto Rico · Puerto Rico Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 · all DC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N27PR · no longer on the register · serial 11776
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE BGN TO DETERIORATE & THE R ENG STARTED TO OVERHEAT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE R ENG WAS FEATHERED & THE CREW ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE RADIO TRANSMITTER BCM UNINTELLIGIBLE, SO THE TOWER PSNL CLEARED THE ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 10 & ASKED THE CREW TO KEY THEIR MIKE TWICE, IF THEY UNDERSTOOD. THE MIKE WASKEYED TWICE. THE ACFT ENTERED A R DWNWND FOR RWY 10 AT A VERY LOW ALT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT WENT INTO A STEEP BANK AS IT WAS TURNING ONTO A BASE LEG OVER WATER, THE R WING TIP HIT THE WATER & THE ACFT CARTWHEELED & CRASHED. THE COPLT RPRTD THAT AFTER FEATHERING THE R ENG, THE VMC OF 84 KTS WAS MAINTAINED; HOWEVER, HE BELIEVED THE ACFT STALLEDJUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. A TEARDOWN OF THE R ENG REVEALED THE EDGE OF THE #8 PISTON & ITS PISTON RINGS HAD FAILED. METAL FILINGS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL & THE OIL PUMP WAS SCORED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION TO THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNAL,AS WELL AS PISTON SLAP ASSOCIATED WITH THE RING FAILURE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29,100 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44,394 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 28, 1986; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-202A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJU San Juan PR at 5:43 pm
- Destination: SKB St. Kitt OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 8,016 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from SJU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.