Aero Commander 500-S accident near San Juan, PR
On February 28, 2005, an Aero Commander 500-S (airplane) was involved in an accident near San Juan, PR. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 28, 2005
- Place
- San Juan, PR
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500-S · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 4 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 18.439°N, 66.102°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050314X00309
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 28, 2005, about 1120 Atlantic standard time, an Aero Commander 500-S airplane, N97VB, sustained substantial damage following a loss of power from both engines and a subsequent collision with tree-covered terrain during takeoff from the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The airplane was being operated by Clair Aero, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, as a Title 14, CFR Part 135, on-demand charter flight. Of the seven people aboard, the commercial pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries, and four passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated about 1110, from the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, and was en route to the Virgin Gorda Airport, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. The accident airplane was equipped with two, gasoline reciprocating, Lycoming IO-540 series engines. During an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on March 1, an operations supervisor with the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, reported that when he arrived at the accident site, he noted a strong smell of jet fuel. The operations supervisor, a certificated private pilot, said that after all of the airplane's occupants had been taken to the hospital, he inspected the accident airplane's fuel tanks and confirmed the presence of jet fuel. During an interview with the NTSB IIC on March 1, using a Spanish-speaking Federal Aviation Admi
Probable cause
The fuel truck operator's improper refueling of a gasoline engine powered airplane with jet (turbine) fuel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight, which resulted in a loss of power in both engines and subsequent collision with trees. Factors associated with the accident were the unclear communications between the Spanish-speaking fuel truck operator and the English-speaking pilot, and the fuel truc
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Browse: Puerto Rico · Aero Commander aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
