Britten-Norman BN-2A-8 accident near Culebra, PR
On October 6, 2013, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-8 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Culebra, PR. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 6, 2013
- Place
- Culebra, PR
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2A-8 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 18.250°N, 65.383°W
- NTSB ID
- 20131021X42436
Official records · ERA14LA007
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On October 6, 2013, about 0603 Atlantic standard time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-8, N909GD, operated by Air Charter Inc., doing business as Air Flamenco, was substantially damaged when it impacted water about 7 miles southwest of the Benjamin Rivera Noriega Airport (TJCP), Culebra, Puerto Rico. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Antonio Rivera Rodriquez Airport (TJVQ), Vieques, Puerto Rico, about 0555. The on-demand air taxi cargo flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135.According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot originally departed from Culebra about 0500, and flew to Ceiba, Puerto Rico, to pick up a load of newspapers. He then flew to Vieques without incident, and was returning to Culebra at the time of the accident. After the airplane became overdue, a search was conducted by the operator and U.S. Coast Guard personnel. The pilot, small fragments of the fuselage, and the nose gear were subsequently recovered from the water near an area containing a fuel/oil slick. According to radar data provided by the FAA, after takeoff from TJVQ, the airplane turned to the northeast toward TJCP, and flew over the water at an altitude of about 100 to 200 feet mean sea level, before climbing to an altitude of 2,400 feet. About 0559:49, the airplane made a 360 degree left turn, followed by a 360 right turn while maintaining an altitude of about 2,400 feet, before continuing on a northeast heading
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control for reasons that could not be determined because the wreckage was not recovered.
More accidents in PR
- Cessna 206H, Feb 8, 2009
- Cessna A185F, Jul 1, 2011
- Cessna 441, Jan 5, 2002
- Rockwell International 690B, Dec 3, 2008
- Piper PA23, Jun 2, 2020
Browse: Puerto Rico
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
