What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 9, 2023, the accident aircraft departed fernando l. ribas dominicci airport (tjig), san juan, PR under visual flight rules with the purpose of flight instruction. On board was flight instructor and student pilot. While enroute cruising at 1500 MSL, the aircraft engine suddenly stopped. The attempt to re-start was unsuccessful causing the flight instructor to conduct a forced landing at an open grass field.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The damage is noted on the propeller, nose wheel, main gear and both wings’ areas. The flight instructor suffered a minor bruise in the forehead and the student pilot had no injuries. No maintenance issues were found. Fuel starvation noted on site.
Root cause: failure to perform proper flight planning
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 9, 2023, THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FERNANDO L. RIBAS DOMINICCI AIRPORT (TJIG), SAN JUAN, PR UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITH THE PURPOSE OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. ON BOARD WAS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT. WHILE ENROUTE CRUISING AT 1500 MSL, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE ATTEMPT TO RE-START WAS UNSUCCESSFUL CAUSING THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TO CONDUCT A FORCED LANDING AT AN OPEN GRASS FIELD.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE IS NOTED ON THE PROPELLER, NOSE WHEEL, MAIN GEAR AND BOTH WINGS’ AREAS. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SUFFERED A MINOR BRUISE IN THE FOREHEAD AND THE STUDENT PILOT HAD NO INJURIES. NO MAINTENANCE ISSUES WERE FOUND. FUEL STARVATION NOTED ON SITE.
ROOT CAUSE: FAILURE TO PERFORM PROPER FLIGHT PLANNING
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.