Miami - San Juan - Managua

On December 31, 1972 at 07:23 PM, Miami - San Juan - Managua experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-7, operated by American Express Leasing, with the event recorded near San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín (Isla Verde) All Puerto Rico.

The flight was categorized as humanitarian and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

5 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The four engine airplane was engaged in a humanitarian flight from Miami to Managua with an intermediate stop in San Juan, carrying three crew members, two passengers (among them the famous American Baseball player Roberto Clemente aged 38) and various goods for the victims of the recent earthquake in Nicaragua. The crew was cleared to takeoff from runway 08 at 1920LT. After rotation, the crew was instructed to turn to left according to departure procedures. Three minutes after takeoff, while in initial climb by night, the airplane suffered various technical problems, lost height, stalled and crashed into the sea few hundred meters offshore. Some debris were found floating on water and all five occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N500AE, MSN 45130, year of manufacture 1957.