N4752D
Cessna 172N
Witnesses saw the airplane flying at low altitude and turn into rising terrain. According to witness statements, the airplane was seen performing a '360 degree turn in a clockwise direction...in a straight and level attitude,' heading toward rising terrain; it then 'hit' a palm tree and crashed into a private residence. The terrain was rising from an estimated elevation of about 660 feet mean sea level (msl) at the lowest point. The elevation at the crash site was about 1,815 feet msl, and the top of the rising terrain was about 3,630 feet msl. Several witnesses, who had reached the crash site, said the airplane came to rest in a house, but at first, there was no fire. The passenger in the left rear seat was the first to be removed. The other three occupants were still in the wreckage when a fire erupted. According to the witnesses, the fire started about 25 to 30 minutes after the accident. The fire was too intense to remove any of the other victims. There was no injures to ground personnel. Control continuity was established to all flight controls. Disassembly of the engine did not reveal any discrepancies.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 2, 1997, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4752D, registered to Caribbean Air Transport Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91, personal flight, impacted with trees, then a private residence while maneuvering near Comerio, Puerto Rico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane, and a private residence on the ground were destroyed. The commercial pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. One passenger was seriously injured. There were no injuries to any persons on the ground. The flight had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, about 1413. The pilot of N4752D had established radio communications with the San Juan Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), requested runway 10, then wanted to proceed along the shoreline, to take photographs, then depart the area westbound at 500 feet. After departure the ATCT approved the pilot's request for a left turn. The last radio communication with the pilot of N4752D was at 1427, at a location 1/2 mile east of Isla Grande Airport at an altitude of 500 feet mean sea level. Witnesses in the vicinity of the crash site saw the airplane flying at a low altitude over the village. Most of the witnesses agreed, when they saw the airplane it was traveling in a southeasterly direction with rising terrain off the airplane's right wing (west), with the village and valley off the airplane's left wing. Two witnesses said they heard the airplane's engine sputtering and saw white smoke. According to witness statements, the airplane was seen performing a "360 degree turn in a clockwise direction...in a straight and level attitude," heading in an westerly direction, toward rising terrain, and "hit" a palm tree. Several witnesses that had reached the crash site, said the airplane came to rest in a house, but when they arrived at the crash site, the fire had not started. The passenger in the left rear seat was the first to be removed. The other three occupants were still in the wreckage when the fire erupted. According to the witnesses the fire started about 25 to 30 minutes after the accident. The fire was too intense to remove any of the other victims. The accident occurred during the hours of daylight approximately 18 degrees, 14 minutes north, and 066 degrees, 11 minutes west. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Information on the pilot is contained in this report on page 3, under First Pilot Information. The pilot's personal logbook containing his flight hours was not found. In addition, the pilot held a control tower operator's certificate, and was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the San Juan ATCT, as a control tower operator. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION Meteorological information is contained in this report on page 3, under Weather Information. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION An autopsy was performed on the pilot, on June 3, 1997, at the Medical Examiner's Office, San Juan, Puerto Rico, by Dr. Yocasta Brugal. Toxicological tests were conducted at the Federal Aviation Administration, Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and revealed, "...no drugs or alcohol." The passenger who had been extracted from the wreckage remained in a hospital in Puerto Rico until September 1997. He was then transferred to a hospital believed to be in Mexico. He had not regained consciousness while in Puerto Rico, and was never able to give an account of the accident. His reported condition when he was transferred was comatose and in a vegetated state. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The accident site was located about 17 miles southwest of San Juan International Airport, near the village of Comerio. The airplane impacted in a hilly area about 2 miles west of the village. The terrain was rising from the village to the west. The estimated elevation at the village was about 660 feet mean sea level (msl). The elevation at the crash site was about 1,815 feet msl, and the top of the rising terrain was about 3,630 feet msl. Witnesses saw the airplane's right wing strike palm trees located on the slope of the rising terrain. After impact with the trees the airplane continued in a southwesterly direction, and came to rest in an unoccupied private home. The trees that witnesses saw the airplane initially strike showed broken branches. The wreckage path continued in a southwesterly direction for about 43 feet, where the right elevator was found detached from the wing and lodged in a tree, about 10 feet above the ground. At the base of this tree was the right wing. From the trees the wreckage path continued in a southwesterly direction for about 200 feet before the airplane came to rest inverted in the house. The area between the broken palm trees and the house was searched for airplane debris and additional tree strikes. None were found. The ensuing fire completely destroyed the airplane, rendering all switches and instruments unreadable. The fire destroyed the home down to the cement slab foundation and two adjoining cinder block walls that formed a corner within the structure. The left wing was found outside the structure of the house about 3 feet to the north. The left wing was found burned, and all that remained was the outboard section of the wing with the aileron. The leading edge of the wing displayed impact damage. A scorched small section of the left flap was found in the vicinity of the left wing. The right wing was found about 200 feet northeast of the house at the base of a topless palm tree. The top of the palm tree was found lying in the vicinity of the wing. A longitudinal sliver of tree trunk bark about a 30 inch long, was also found in the vicinity of the right wing. The sliver of bark matched a trunk wound found on the tree about 20 feet above the ground. The leading edge of the right wing beginning at the root displayed a large dent which displaced the forward spar pleating the skin aft of the flap cove. The cylindrical pattern of the dented surface of the wing matched the tree trunk section (radius) of the palm tree. The remainder of the right wing was observed intact except for some small dings along the leading edge and a sharp crease inboard of the wing tip. The lift strut had separated, leaving the fitting clamped up in the wing. The lift strut was not found. The right elevator was found in a tree near the first trees that displayed impact damage. The elevator was found crushed at the leading edge and the lower skin for about 12 inches, beginning outboard of the inboard hinge. Both hinges were found attached to the stabilizer side hinge halves which were torn from the structure. The aerodynamic balance arm was attached at the trailing edge by a small section of skin. The arm exhibited a lateral dent on the inboard side just forward of the hinge centerline. The upper skin exhibited a 90-degree tear emanating from the outboard hinge toward the inboard hinge, about 4 inches and then aft towards the trailing edge. The torque tube collar flange was torn from its fastener. The trim tab rod was attached at the tab end, but the forward end was separated. Measurement of the wing flap actuator indicated that the flaps were found down about 5 degrees. Damage to the trim tabs precluded obtaining any readings. Control continuity was established through the cables to all the flight controls. Examination of the engine at the crash revealed that the engine had sustained heat distress from the post impact fire. The thermal effects of the fire melted the rear section of the engine destroying all of the engine's accessories, and rendering them not functional. None of the engine accessories were tested due to their destruction, and no determination was made about their condition. Examination of the fuel system revealed that it was destroyed by post impact fire heat. The top portion of the carburetor was still attached to the engine and found in place. The control rod end of the throttle was attached, and the mixture control arm was broken. The throttle valve was found in the 3/4 open position. The venturi was not found. The spark plugs were removed and examined. The color of the combustion deposits varied between black, light gray, and whitish gray. All the plugs were found dry except four bottom, which had moist oily residue on the electrode. Fire department officials reported that water was used to extinguish the fire. Examination of the oil system revealed that the oil cooler assembly was severely heat damaged. The cooler hose connections were still attached to the cooler unit. The oil pump housing assembly was found with heat damage and warped. The oil pump was removed and revealed that the gears were in place. No indications of a lack of lubrication was found. The engine was subsequently removed from the crash site for further examination. The two bladed fixed pitch propeller was found still attached to the engine crankshaft flange. Both blades were found slightly bent aft. The blades were not curled, and no cordwise marks were observed. TEST AND RESEARCH At the request of the Safety Board and under the supervision of the FAA the engine from N4752D was removed from the crash site and trucked to San Juan. On June 17, 1997, the engine was disassembled at the facilities of the Puerto Rico Police Department Air Base, at Isla Grande Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The disassembly of the engine did not reveal any discrepancies (see the FAA's engine Inspection Report attached to this report). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Available records indicated that N4752D was last refueled on May 30, 1997, with 20 gallons of fuel. Witnesses reported observing and smelling fuel before the fire started. The aircraft wreckage was released to Jean Tirri, Vice President, Caribbean Air Transport Inc., on June 4, 1997. The engine was released to the owner on June 18, 1997.
the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from obstructions on rising terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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