Cessna 170 accident near Patillas, Puerto Rico, November 4, 1990
On November 4, 1990 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4023V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Patillas, Puerto Rico (Patillas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE NON CERTIFICATED PILOT TO LOWER THE FLAPS TO THE CORRECT POSITION FOR TAKEOFF AND FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF DUE TO INSUFFICIENT ACCELERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1990 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Patillas, Puerto Rico · Patillas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4023V · no longer on the register · serial 18342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DOES NOT HAVE A PLT CERTIFICATE. HE STATED IT TOOK LONGER THAN USUAL TO RAISE THE TAIL DURING THE GROUND ROLL. THE FLT WAS ABOUT 3/4 DOWN THE 2,000 FT RWY, WITH 10 DEGS OF FLAPS LOWERED, WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS INSUFFICIENT TO BECOME AIRBORNE & THERE WASN'T ENOUGH RWY REMAINING TO STOP. HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF BUT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AT THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A FIELD. THERE WAS NO ENG FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, FULL FLAPS (30 DEGS) SHOULD BE USED FOR THE SHORTEST TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE HAD ACCUMULATED APRX 30 HRS IN THIS MAKE & MODEL ACFT BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED FORMAL TRAINING. REVIEW OF HIS LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT HE HAD LOGGED APRX 40 HOURS IN THE PREVIOUS 17 YRS. THE LAST LOGGED ENTRY WAS 9 YRS 4 MOS EARLIER.
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
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:48 pm from MJPS, 31 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.