Piper PA-32R-301 accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 8, 1996
On June 8, 1996 at about 10:45 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N821RR, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Juan, Puerto Rico (Fernando Luis Ribas Domin airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the student pilot to maintain the proper descent rate resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was: the failure of other maintenance personnel to remove tape that was placed by company personnel over each static port before washing the airplane, inadequate preflight of the airplane by the student pilot, his failure to activate the alternate static source, and his lack of total experience in make and model airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1996 · about 10:45 am local time · cases in 1996
- Place
- San Juan, Puerto Rico · Fernando Luis Ribas Domin · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N821RR · registry record · serial 3246022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two days before the accident, tape had been placed over each static port in preparation for washing the airplane. The person who placed the tape and the person who washed the airplane did not remove the tape after the airplane had been washed. During the preflight inspection of the airplane, the student pilot did not observe or remove the tape covering each static port. The airplane preflight inspection checklist indicates that each static port is required to be inspected to verify each is clear. The flight departed to perform touch-and-go landings and during the downwind leg, the airspeed indicator indicated 0. The pilot stated he lowered the landing gear via the normal method but the gear indicator lights circuit breaker popped several times while in the pattern. Witnesses reported hearing the airplane flying in the traffic pattern at near full power. The pilot flew over the runway and remained in the pattern. While on final approach during the second pattern, all gear indicator lights indicated that the gear was down and locked. The airplane landed hard causing all three gears to collapse and the nose baggage door to open. Flight tests confirm that the airspeed indicator would indicate during the takeoff roll until the flight was about 400 feet above ground level at which time the airspeed indicator would indicate 0. The pilot had a total of 3.6 hours total solo time in the accident airplane and no more than 15 solo landings. He did not activate the equipped alternate static source.
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: student
- Flight time: 99 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 107 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 1996; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIG at 10:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,317 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from SJU, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N821RR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N821RR on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga 3,916 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 48 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Puerto Rico 282 since 1982 · 33 in the last ten years
- Puerto Rico 493 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N821RR 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA96LA152.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.