Cessna 172M accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 11, 1989
On February 11, 1989 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N303CR, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Isla Grande airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY USE CARBURETOR HEAT IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1989 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Isla Grande
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N303CR · no longer on the register · serial 17264107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE THE AIRPORT, THE PLT REPORTED THE ENG GRADUALLY LOST POWER. UNABLE TO LAND BACK AT THE ARPT, THE ACFT WAS DITCHED. AFTER RECOVERY & REPLACEMENT OF THE MAGNETOS, WIRING HARNESSES, & PLUGS, THE ENG RAN WITH NO ABNORMALITIES. CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE OFF/COLD POSITION. TEMP WAS REPORTED AS 78 DEG F AND DEWPOINT WAS 69 DEG F.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,226 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 7, 1988; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,317 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from SJU, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.