Piper PA-32-260 accident near Fajardo, Puerto Rico, August 10, 1990
On August 10, 1990 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N412PM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fajardo, Puerto Rico (Diego Jimenez Torres airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN VSO DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1990 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fajardo, Puerto Rico · Diego Jimenez Torres
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N412PM · registry record · serial 32-1142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENG LOST POWER. THE ACFT STALLED, DESCENDED LT WING LOW, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO FIRE. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN RUN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE FLT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED & OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CPX Isla De Culebra PR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:00 pm from MJNR, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N412PM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.