# Accident 20170704008859A: Piper PA-28-180, San Juan, PR, July 4, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 4, 2017, 16:21 local time
- Place: San Juan, PR
- Airport: Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 18.4583° N, 66.0894° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4583&lon=-66.0894&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9427J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9427J-2019-09-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 4
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 143 total, 131 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA227) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170704008859A

## Narrative

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

AFTER INTERVIEWING THE PIC AND THE PASSENGER SITTING NEXT TO HIM WHICH HAPPENS TO BE A LOW TIME PRIVATE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE TAKE-OFF AND INITIAL CLIMB WAS NORMAL. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 FEET THE PILOT FELT THE ENGINE VIABRATING AND FOLLOWED BY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER. THE PIC DECIDED TO CALL ATC AND ADVISED HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AND MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN FOR RUNWAY 27. AT THIS POINT THE PASSENGER ADVISED THE PIC SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE AIRSPEED BEING TOO LOW AND STALL WARNING INDICATOR FLASHING. AS HE MADE A SHARP LEFT TURN THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STALL/SPIN CONDITION AND LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. EVENTUALLY AIRPLANE CRASHED IN THE SAN JUAN BAY CHANNEL IN THE WATER VERY NEAR THE MARINA.

ATC RECORDING OF THE RADAR SCREEN REVEALED THAT THE PILOT CLIMBED TO A MAXIMUM ALTITUDE OF 600 FEET AND THEN DISSAPEARED FROM RADAR. PILOT HAD PROBABLY 3 TO 5 SECONDS TO DECIDE TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD AND MAKE A CONTROL APPROACH AND DO AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE CONDADO LAGOON.

## 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 ERA17LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA227), Jul 4, 2017: Piper PA28 (N9427J), San Juan, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined and the pilot's subsequent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an…

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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