Douglas DC-3C incident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 10, 1992
On March 10, 1992 at about 11:05 am local time, a Douglas DC-3C, registered N135FS, suffered minor damage in an incident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Luis Munoz Marin Int airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER LOADING OF PERSONNEL, AND IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE FIRST OFFICER/CO-PILOT WHILE CALCULATING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITS FOR THE FLIGHT. THIS RESULTED IN THE FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT BEING EXCEEDED AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE DOWN OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ABSENCE OF PASSENGER SEATS FOR THE CARGO LOADERS OR BALLAST IN THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1992 · about 11:05 am local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Luis Munoz Marin Int
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3C · all DC-3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N135FS · no longer on the register · serial 20063
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ROLLOUT IN VFR CONDITIONS, A DC-3C, OPERATED BY A 14 CFR PART 135 OPERATOR, ON A 14 CFR PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT, NOSED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY SUBSTAINING MINOR DAMAGE. THE PIC, SIC, UNAUTHORIZED JUMPSEAT RIDER, AND TWO CARGO LOADERS LOCATED IN THE COCKPIT/FORWARD COMPARTMENT WERE NOT INJURED. NO CARGO, BALLAST, OR PASSENGER SEATS FOR THE CARGO LOADERS WERE LOCATED IN THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 221 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 26,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 1830-92 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Four Star Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: STT St. Thomas at 10:35 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 8,016 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from TJSJ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| 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.
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.