Cessna 172K accident near Culebra, Puerto Rico, February 16, 1994
On February 16, 1994 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79401, was substantially damaged in an accident near Culebra, Puerto Rico (Culebra airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND(CFI) TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND AFTER ENCOUNTERING SEVERE TURBULENCE DURING LANDING FLARE AND HIS DECISION TO RAISE THE FLAPS AND REDUCE ENGINE POWER TO IDLE AFTER DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDING WITH A HOUSE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1994 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Culebra, Puerto Rico · Culebra
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79401 · no longer on the register · serial 17258052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING A DOWNWIND LANDING INTO RISING TERRAIN AT NIGHT THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI) WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT. AS HE FLARED FOR LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE. CONTROL WAS REGAINED AND ANOTHER LANDING FLARE WAS INITIATED. THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT OVER BUILDINGS AND ELECTRICAL WIRES AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. AS THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OUT OF CONTROL THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND RAISED THE FLAPS AND REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO THE IDLE POSITION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13,318 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 10,222 as pilot in command; 5,148 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 20, 1994; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJU San Juan PR at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,600 ft by 35 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from SJU, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.