20120725016709A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · San Juan, PR · July 25, 2012

Date: July 25, 2012 · 14:18 local
Place: San Juan, PR
Airport: Isla Grande Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N73115
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12FA484
Reported as: Cessna 172M
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,175 total17 in this make and model

N73115Registration cancelled May 31, 2013 · Cessna 172MS/N 17267271 Airframe modelCessna 172M Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The PIC privacy data omitted, was enroute from (tjab) arecibo airport, to (tjig) Isla Grande Airport when the pilot informed the control tower that he believes that the aileron control cable broke and is having trouble keeping the aircraft in a straight and level flight, shortly thereafter the aircraft crash into the San Juan bay in approximately 30-40 feet of water.

As the FAA filed it

THE PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS ENROUTE FROM (TJAB) ARECIBO AIRPORT, TO (TJIG) ISLA GRANDE AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT INFORMED THE CONTROL TOWER THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE AILERON CONTROL CABLE BROKE AND IS HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING THE AIRCRAFT IN A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT, SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT CRASH INTO THE SAN JUAN BAY IN APPROXIMATELY 30-40 FEET OF WATER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA12FA484Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportSan Juan, PRMaintenance personnel’s improper lubrication of the right direct aileron control cable and failure to detect the severe corrosion of the cable during a maintenance inspection, which resulted in the in-flight failure of the cable, the pilot’s subsequent…Jul 25, 2012 · Substantial damage