San Juan – Sint Marten – Christiansted – San Juan

On July 24, 1979 at 09:22 AM, San Juan – Sint Marten – Christiansted – San Juan experienced a crash involving De Havilland DH.114 Heron, operated by Prinair - Puerto Rico International Airlines, with the event recorded near Christiansted-Henry E. Rohlsen (ex Alexander Hamilton) All US Virgin Islands.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

21 people were known to be on board, 8 fatalities were recorded, 13 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 38.1%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 19, passenger fatalities: 7, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is other causes. 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.

Aircraft reference details include registration N575PR, MSN 14125, year of manufacture 1957.