Socata TB 10 accident near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, September 19, 1993
On September 19, 1993 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Socata TB 10, registered N104F, was destroyed in an accident near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (Rafael Hernandez airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH A LEVEL II THUNDERSTORM AND FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVESE WEATHER BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1993 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Aguadilla, Puerto Rico · Rafael Hernandez · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB 10 · all TB 10s on the register
- Registration
- N104F · no longer on the register · serial 589
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT OBTAINED BEFORE DEPARTURE. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS WERE FORECAST. DURING THE FLIGHT AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE AIRPLANE REQUESTED WEATHER ADVISORIES FROM THE UNICOM OPERATOR WHO ADVISED THE CREW OF A THUNDERSTORM NEAR THE AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT PROCEEDED TOWARD THE THUNDERSTORM ACCORDING TO WITNESSES BUT THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE MINUS THE RIGHT WING WAS RECOVERED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING SEPARATED NEAR THE WING ROOT AND ABOUT 20 INCHES OUTBOARD OF THE OUTBOARD FUEL SENSOR DUE TO OVERLOAD. THE RIGHT WING FAILED NEAR THE WING ROOT DUE TO OVERLOAD. EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY MINUS THE MAGNETOS, AND FUEL PUMP HOUSING REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. NO OCCUPANT HAD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHO WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 143 hours in all; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MJMZ Mayaguez PR at 7:30 pm
- Destination: SIG San Juan PR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BQN, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N104F: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Daher (Socata) TB 10 53 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1AD 30 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Rafael Hernandez Airport · nearest airport
- Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Puerto Rico 282 since 1982 · 33 in the last ten years
- Puerto Rico 493 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA93FA198.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.