# Accident 20010208003889A: Piper PA30, Ponce, Puerto Rico, February 8, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 8, 2001, 08:00 local time
- Place: Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Airport: Mercedita
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 17.9964° N, 66.5539° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=17.9964&lon=-66.5539&mi=10
- Aircraft: N181MM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N181MM-2018-01-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA30
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01FA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010208003889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON FEBRUARY 8, 2001, ABOUT 0800 AST, A PIPER PA-30, N181MM, REGISTERED TO MAJ LLC, AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT, CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM PONCE, PR. WITNESSES STATED THE PILOT HAD TROUBLE STARTING THE RIGHT ENGINE WHILE AT THE FUEL RAMP. AFTER HE GOT THE RIGHT ENGINE STARTED IT MADE APOPPING NOISE. HE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO RUNWAY 12 AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE STILL MAKING A POPPING NOISE. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLANE CLIMBED BETWEEN 250-300 FEET, WITH THE LANDING GEAR STILL EXTENDED. THE AIRPLANE THEN BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE AND IT WAS OBSERVED TURNING TO THE RIGHT. AS THE PLANE TURNED RIGHT ONTO A DOWNHILL LEG, IT SUDDENLY ROLLED TO THE RIGHT INVERTED AND PITCHED DOWN, DESCENDING UNTIL GROUND IMPACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA01FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01FA072), Feb 8, 2001: Piper PA-30 (N181MM), Ponce, PR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to attempt flight with known deficiencies in the airplanes right engine, his failure to feather the right propeller after the engine failed , his failure to retract the landing…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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