Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 accident near Catano, Puerto Rico, June 20, 1988
On June 20, 1988 at about 4:52 pm local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600, registered N90360, was destroyed in an accident near Catano, Puerto Rico. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 20, 1988 · about 4:52 pm local time
- Place
- Catano, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N90360 · no longer on the register · serial 60 0212 093
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, WITNESSES NOTED THE L REAR BAGGAGE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED & HANGING DOWN. A WARNING WAS RELAYED TO THE PLT VIA THE TWR, BUT BY THEN THE ACFT WAS AIRBORNE & THE PLT HAD RPRTD A CONTROL PRBLM. DRG LIFT-OFF, THEACFT PITCHED UP SHARPLY & ENTERED AN IMMEDIATE RGT BANK OF ABT 45 DEG. AS THE GEAR RETRACTED, THE BANK ANGLE DECREASED TO ABT 20 DEG. THE ACFT WAS RPRTD TO YAW SLIGHTLY FM SIDE TO SIDE & CIRCLE TO THE RGT WHILE CLIMBING TO ABT 1000'. A WITNESS (IN RADIO CTC) ASKED THE PLT ABT THE PROBLEM; THE PLT REPLIED THE CONTROLS (CTLS) WERE LOCKED TO ONE SIDE. ON ADVICE OF OTRS, THE PLT TRIED TO CTL THE ACFT WITH ENG POWER ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THE ACFT LOST ALT TO ABT 200' AGL. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE MNVRG, IT STRUCK A TREE, THEN HIT A UTILITY POLE & CRASHED. DRG IMPACT THE LOWER FUSELAGE, WHICH HOUSED THE FLT CTL LINKAGES, WAS BADLY DMGD. NO PREIMPACT MECH PRBLM WAS VERIFIED CONCERNING THE FLT CTLS, AUTOPLT OR TRIM. A PLT, WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN THE ACFT WITH THE BAGGAGE DOOR OPEN, SAID HE EXPERIENCED NO ADVERSE CTL PRBLMS.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,391 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 7,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,958 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 6, 1988; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1F5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Executive Air Charter
The flight
- Departed from: SIG San Juan PR at 4:43 pm
- Destination: SJU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from SJU, 7 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.