Lockheed L-1049F accident near Levittown, Puerto Rico, April 5, 1990
On April 5, 1990 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Lockheed L-1049F, registered HI515, was destroyed in an accident near Levittown, Puerto Rico. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FIRE OF AN UNDETERMINED ORIGIN THAT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER IN TWO ENGINES DURING A THREE ENGINE FERRY FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN THE REQUIRED AUTHORIZATION FOR THE THREE ENGINE FERRY FLIGHT, AND HIS OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1990 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Levittown, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-1049F
- Registration
- HI515 · no longer on the register · serial 4192
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN OF THE AIRPLANE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF ON A THREE ENGINE FERRY FLIGHT WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. DURING THE THREE ENGINE CLIMB OUT WITH THE NO.3 PROPELLER FEATHERED, THE NO.2 ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND HE COULD NOT EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. HE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN AND DURING THE DESCENT THE NO.1 ENGINE FAILED. HE THEN INTENTIONALLY DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE OCEAN, AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE OCEAN AND NO DETERMINATION OF CAUSE COULD BE ASCERTAINED.
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, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,822 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 4, 1990; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 120,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-3350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJU San Juan PR at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Santo Domingo OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from SJU, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.