Britten-Norman BN-2A accident near Carolina, Puerto Rico, January 16, 1989
On January 16, 1989 at about 10:14 pm local time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A, registered N457SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carolina, Puerto Rico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THAT THE PROPER FUEL LOAD WAS PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED THE IMPROPER REFUELING OF THE AIRCRAFT, IMPROPER INITIAL TRAINING OF THE REFUELER AND THE CROP, WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1989 · about 10:14 pm local time
- Place
- Carolina, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2A · all BN-2As on the register
- Registration
- N457SA · registry record · serial 27
- 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 PLT ORDERED 42 GALLONS OF FUEL TO BE ADDED TO THE ACFT WHICH WOULD BRING THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD TO 60 GALLONS. THE LINEMAN ADDED 4.2 GALLONS BRINGING THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD TO 22.2 GALLONS. THE PLT DID NOT VERIFY THE FUEL LOAD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN FROM SAN JUAN TO VIEQUES IN WHICH 12 GALLONS WERE BURNED. NO FUEL WAS ADDED AND THE PLT AGAIN DID NOT VERIFY HIS FUEL LOAD. THE FLT DEPARTED VIEQUES EN ROUTE BACK TO SAN JUAN WITH 10.2 GALLONS OF FUEL. ON DESCENT INTO SAN JUAN BOTH ENGINES FAILED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD. AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 100 YDS THE LEFT LDG GR COLLAPSED. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED IT CONTAINED 36 OUNCES OF FUEL WITH NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE. THE ENGINES WERE OPERATED TO FULL POWER WITH NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE LINEMAN HAD BEEN HIRED AS A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE ON 1/2/89. HE STATED HE WAS WORKING ONLY HIS FIFTH DAY AND THAT HE HAD NO FORMAL REFUELING TRNG.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 5,200 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,938 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 12, 1989; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VQS Vieques PR at 9:50 pm
- Destination: SIG San Juan PR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SJU, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.