San Juan - San Juan
Flight / Schedule
San Juan - San Juan
Aircraft
Rockwell Shrike Commander 500Registration
N79NU
MSN
500-3206
Year of Manufacture
1974
Operator
Hill ConstructionDate
February 11, 1996 at 04:38 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Training
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Manatí All Puerto Rico
Region
Central America • Puerto Rico
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On February 11, 1996 at 04:38 PM, San Juan - San Juan experienced a crash involving Rockwell Shrike Commander 500, operated by Hill Construction, with the event recorded near Manatí All Puerto Rico.
The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
3 people were known to be on board, 3 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The flight was a dual instruction flight for the purpose of giving the dual student an orientation to the aircraft. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying from east to west at a slow speed. The right wing dropped and then returned to level. The right wing and nose dropped and the aircraft descended in a 45-60 degree nose down attitude. As the aircraft descended the wings rolled back and forth and something was observed moving on the outboard right wing area. The aircraft did not recover from the descent and crashed nose first at a slow speed into a swamp area. Post crash examination of the aircraft showed no evidence to indicate pre-crash mechanical malfunction or failure of the aircraft structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, or systems. The rudder trim was found in the neutral position and the elevator trim was found set for 70% of the aircraft nose up trim. Toxicology tests showed the dual student had .319 ug/ml of marihuana in urine, .010 ug/ml marijuana in blood, and 10.90 ug/ml of acetaminophen in blood. The pilot-in-command/flight instructor had 47.90 ug/ml acetaminophen and 89.20 ug/ml salicylate in urine. The pilot-in-command had hand injuries consistent with operating the aircraft's controls at the time of the accident. The dual student did not have hand injuries consistent with operation of the aircraft's controls.
Aircraft reference details include registration N79NU, MSN 500-3206, year of manufacture 1974.
Fatalities
Total
3
Crew
3
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The flight was a dual instruction flight for the purpose of giving the dual student an orientation to the aircraft. Witnesses observed the aircraft flying from east to west at a slow speed. The right wing dropped and then returned to level. The right wing and nose dropped and the aircraft descended in a 45-60 degree nose down attitude. As the aircraft descended the wings rolled back and forth and something was observed moving on the outboard right wing area. The aircraft did not recover from the descent and crashed nose first at a slow speed into a swamp area. Post crash examination of the aircraft showed no evidence to indicate pre-crash mechanical malfunction or failure of the aircraft structure, flight controls, engines, propellers, or systems. The rudder trim was found in the neutral position and the elevator trim was found set for 70% of the aircraft nose up trim. Toxicology tests showed the dual student had .319 ug/ml of marihuana in urine, .010 ug/ml marijuana in blood, and 10.90 ug/ml of acetaminophen in blood. The pilot-in-command/flight instructor had 47.90 ug/ml acetaminophen and 89.20 ug/ml salicylate in urine. The pilot-in-command had hand injuries consistent with operating the aircraft's controls at the time of the accident. The dual student did not have hand injuries consistent with operation of the aircraft's controls.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
3
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 3
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
San Juan - San Juan
Operator
Hill ConstructionFlight Type
Training
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Central America • Puerto Rico
Aircraft Details
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