Mcdonnell Douglas DC-3C accident near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, May 10, 1991
On May 10, 1991 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-3C, registered N134FS, was destroyed in an accident near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VS) AFTER A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE NO. 8 ENGINE ASSEMBLY CYLINDER. THIS RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL (STALL), AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1991 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-3C
- Registration
- N134FS · registry record · serial 99848
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE ON TAKEOFF CLIMB DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE NO. 8 ENGINE ASSEMBLY CYLINDER. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES AT 400 FEET AGL IN A 20 DEGREE LEFT BANK WHILE MANEUVERING TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE ANGLE OF BANK INCREASED TO 60 DEGREES WITH A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN AIRSPEED WHILE THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED BELOW 300 FEET AGL. THE LEFT WING DROPPED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN VERTICALLY. THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO REGAIN ELEVATOR AUTHORITY AND LEVELED OUT BEFORE ENCOUNTERING A SECONDARY STALL. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND WAS DESTROYED BY POSTCRASH FIRE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,068 hours in all; 873 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1830-90D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Four Star Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: JBQ Aguadilla PR at 3:18 pm
- Destination: PSE Ponce PR
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from JBQ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA91FA140.