San Juan | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

On final approach to Port of Spain, the seaplane hit the water surface some 1,5 mile short of the touchdown zone, overturned and sank. 23 occupants were killed while seven others were injured.

Probable cause:

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was:
- First Officer Cramer’s failure to realize his proximity to the water and to correct his attitude for a normal landing and,
- the lack of adequate supervision by the Captain during the landing, resulting in the inadvertent flight into the water in excess of normal landing speed and in a nose-down attitude.

Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina into the Caribbean Sea: 16 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

08044

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

San Juan – Guantánamo

MSN:

863

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from San Juan to the Guantánamo NAS, crew encountered engine problems and elected to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the Caribbean Sea. Fifteen occupants were missing, one was killed and fourteen others were rescued. No trace of the missing crew was ever found.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56 LodeStar in Mendoza: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

CC-CLC

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Mendoza - San Juan

MSN:

2602

YOM:

1943

Location:

Mendoza

Country:

Argentina

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At 2052LT on last 15 of January 1944, the Argentinian city of San Juan was hit by an earthquake. The Chilean government was one of the first country to help Argentina and sent one of its team with this Lockheed 18-56 LodeStar of the Chilean National Carrier LAN Chile. The twin engine aircraft was carrying medics, supply and a medical team as well. Shortly after takeoff from Mendoza-El Plumerillo Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. All 11 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Eduardo Lazo Preuss, pilot,
Eduardo von Bischoffeshausen, copilot,
Fernando Mella Ulloa, engineer.

Crash of a Douglas C-49D in Grande Rivière: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-49 (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

41-7717

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Losey - Willer

MSN:

4142

YOM:

1941

Location:

Grande Rivière

All Trinidad and Tobago

Country:

Trinidad and Tobago

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Losey AFB (Porto Rico) to Willer AFB, Trinidad. While approaching its destination, the aircraft hit a mountain located five miles south of Grand Rivière and was destroyed. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Martin PBM-3C Mariner off San Juan: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Martin PBM Mariner

Operator:

Registration:

6527

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

San Juan - San Juan

MSN:

2980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after take off from San Juan harbor, while climbing, the seaplane crashed into the sea few miles off shore. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-39 near Coamo: 22 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942 at 0930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-39 (DC-2)

Operator:

Registration:

38-524

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Juana Díaz-Losey Field – San Juan

MSN:

2081

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying in a valley in poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit a mountain shrouded in clouds. All 22 occupants were killed, among them three civilians. According to USAF, the aircraft hit the mountain slope sixty metres from the summit and the cloud base was around 1,200 metres. The twin engine aircraft was following a 150° heading and was flying at a cruising speed at the time of the accident.
Crew:
Francis H. Durant, pilot, 4.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-42B off San Juan: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1941 at 1748 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-42

Operator:

Registration:

NC15376

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Miami – Antilla – Port-au-Prince – San Pedro de Macorís – San Juan – Buenos Aires

MSN:

4206

YOM:

1936

Flight number:

PA203

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11384

Captain / Total hours on type:

1500.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

583

Aircraft flight hours:

7832

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight, the crew completed the approach to the San Juan harbor in good weather conditions. Upon landing on water in a nose down attitude, the seaplane plunged into the water and came to rest. Two passengers were killed while all 25 other occupants were rescued.
Crew:
Charles A. Lorber, pilot,
Harvey E. Breaux, copilot,
John Donovan Donnelley, flight engineer,
W. P. Mahoney, radio navigator,
Joe Catala, steward,
A. E. Calligari, steward.
Source & photos: http://www.webstart.com/jed/house/NC15376/

Probable cause:

It was concluded that the aircraft was landed in an unduly nose-low attitude, and second, that at the time of first contact while in that attitude, it was moving sideways relative to the water. It appears from the record that there were no extraneous turning forces which might have been caused by non-uniform application of power or by faulty rudder tab setting. On the basis of the foregoing findings and the entire record available to is at this time, investigation board found that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the captain to exercise requisite caution and skill in landing. The smooth surface of the water which rendered difficult the captains depth perception as well as the exact determination of any lateral movement of the aircraft, constituted a substantial contributing factor.

Final Report: