Prinair - Puerto Rico International Airlines

De Havilland DH.114 Heron

The airplane crashed on the airport while executing a takeoff from the Alexander Hamilton Airport, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI. There were 19 passengers and 2 crew members on board. The first officer and 7 passengers were killed, and the captain and 12 passengers were injured seriously. The aircraft was destroyed. Witnesses saw the aircraft assume a nose-high attitude shortly after takeoff. The aircraft then began to roll to a left then to a right wing-down attitude, followed by a momentary pitchdown. The aircraft then pitched up and oscillated to a left wing-down and then a right wing down attitude while losing altitude. It struck the ground while in a right wing-down attitude. The gross weight of the aircraft at takeoff was found to be 1,060 lbs over its maximum allowable takeoff weight of 12,499 lbs and the center of gravity was about 8 inches beyond the maximum allowable rear limit.

De Havilland DH.114 Heron

On a night approach to Ponce-Mercedita Airport, the crew decided to make a go-around when control was lost. The airplane overrotated then crashed 2,200 feet past the runway 29 threshold and 260 feet to the south. Both pilots and three passengers were killed while all other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

De Havilland DH.114 Heron

Prinair flight PQ277 departed Charlotte Amalie Airport (Saint Thomas Island) at 1715LT for an IFR flight to San Juan. At 17:32, the flight contacted San Juan Approach Control and advised that the flight was maintaining 4,000 feet. The trainee approach controller replied: "Prinair two seven seven San Juan Approach Control radar contact three miles east of Isla Verde fly a heading of two five zero for a vector to ILS final maintain four thousand." Actually the flight was 3 miles east of the Fajardo intersection instead of the Isla Verde intersection which is located about 10 miles west of the Fajardo intersection. One minute later the Heron was cleared to descend to 3,000 feet. At 17:38, after being vectored for a runway 07 approach, the airplane contacted trees and crashed, coming to rest near the top of a knoll in the Sierra de Luquillo mountains at an elevation of about 2400 feet (731 m). The wreckage was found about 24 km southeast of San Juan-Isla Verde Airport and all 18 occupants were killed.

Curtiss C-46 Commando

During the takeoff roll at San Pedro Sula-Barandillas Airport, the airplane suffered a loss of power on one engine. It went out of control, veered off runway and eventually collided with a wooden house. Both crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.