Piper PA-23 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, August 18, 1994
On August 18, 1994 at about 10:02 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N556PR, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Fernando Dominicci airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS IMPROPER AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND DRAINING OF FUEL TANKS AND HIS LACK OF TRAINING IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1994 · about 10:02 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Fernando Dominicci
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N556PR · no longer on the register · serial 23-760
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER ON TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND DID NOT CLIMB HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR A CONSTRUCTION CRANE THAT WAS LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE CRANE AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND CRASHED UPRIGHT INTO THE BAY. THE PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE TO HIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY DRAIN ALL WATER FROM THE FUEL TANKS PRIOR TO FLIGHT. THE LEFT ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE CRASH AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD A MULTI-ENGINE RATING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAS 6 HOURS OF MULTI-ENGINE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TIME AND NO DUAL INSTRUCTION IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 430 hours in all; 26 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 430 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,705 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 1994; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,317 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from JSJ, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.