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 Martin PBM-3C Mariner off San Juan

Date & Time: May 13, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Martin PBM Mariner

Operator:

Registration:

6520

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

2973

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The seaplane (VP-207) suffered an engine fire in flight, forcing the crew to make an emergency landing. It crashed off San Juan and sank within 10 minutes by a depth of 180 metres. All crew members were rescued.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

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

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1942 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Martin PBM Mariner

Operator:

Registration:

6527

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

San Juan - San Juan

MSN:

2980

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The seaplane was engaged in a local training exercise at San Juan with a crew of seven on board. At the time of the crash, the pilot-in-command was in the midst of his training for the designation of Patrol Plane Commander. His airplane was observed to make a succession of bounces and from the last bounce dive into the water at a steep angle. The direction of takeoff was approximately 30-40° out of the wind. On a previous attempted takeoff the pilot had found the plane tail heavy and upon taxiing back for another try had released his load so that the plane was nose heavy. After liftoff, the airplane nosed down and plunged into the sea. Three crew members were killed and four others were rescued.
Crew (VP-203):
Lt(jg) Edward Mallory Vogel, pilot, †
Ens Stephen G. Steffens,
Ens W. Godfrey Hyrne,
Amm2 Vernon Ballard Harris,
Arm3 Harold Francis Close Jr.,
Aom3 Issie Goldberg, †
Amm3 Edwin James Sipowsky. †

Probable cause:

Investigations determined that the pilot had set the tab control at full 'UP' position, probably to counteract the nose heaviness. It is the opinion of the board that after the initial bounce which was probably caused by the combination of the heavy swells, cross-wind and nose heavy condition of the plane, the pilot was unable to maintain control. It is believed that the airplane stalled at the top of each bounce due to the pilot's inability to overcome the full 'UP' elevator tab setting. The board considers this crash due entirely to the inexperience of the pilot.

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:

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-2 Catalina off San Juan

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

0467

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

YOM:

1937

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taking off from the harbor of San Juan, the floatplane collided with a surface craft and crashed. All six crew members suffered minor injuries.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38A off San Juan

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1931

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Registration:

NC5933

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Miami – San Juan

MSN:

14-A

YOM:

1928

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing off San Juan, the floatplane collided with an undetermined floating object and was damaged beyond repair. All nine occupants were rescued.

Probable cause:

Collision with floating object upon landing on sea.