# NTSB MIA02LA031: Cessna 172M, N61582, Barceloneta, PR, November 23, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 23, 2001, 06:40 local (10:40 UTC) - Place: Barceloneta, PR - Coordinates: 18.449506, -66.559593 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.4495&lon=-66.5596&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54158 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54158/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA031 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and an in flight collision with water. Contributing to the accident was the impairment of the pilot due to alcohol. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - impairment(alcohol), pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was performing left turns at an altitude of 900 feet, and when he tried to correct for a left bank, he was unable to do so. He said he was able to make pitch control changes, but was unable to recover from the left bank because the control had jammed. He said that the aircraft then entered a spin, and descended, crashing upside down into a lake. According to an FAA inspector who conducted the postcrash investigation, when he interviewed the pilot, the pilot said that the aircraft was at an altitude of about 700 to 900 feet, and his passenger who was seated in the front next to him, was asleep. The inspector said that the pilot further stated that during attempts to apply a control input to stop the left turn, the control yoke became jammed. The inspector said his examination of the accident aircraft showed that the impact had separated the wings from the rest of the fuselage, but that the flight control system exhibited damage consistent with overstress, and there was no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunction to the flight control system. Information provided by law enforcement officials showed that an aircraft had been observed at 200 feet, operating in an area consistent with where the accident aircraft was later found, and that the pilot exhibited a strong odor of alcohol, but refused requests that he submit to an alcohol test. ## Factual narrative On November 23, 2001, about 0640, Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 172M, N61582, registered to, and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed into a lake in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from San Juan, Puerto Rico, the same day, about 0610. The pilot stated that while at an altitude of 900 feet, he performed three 360-degree turns to the left at a speed of 85 knots, using 45 degrees of bank. The pilot further stated that as soon as he had finished maneuvering, he applied full power with the intention of climbing to 1,000 feet. He said that as he manipulated the control to remove the bank, the control jammed, and he was only able to make pitch control changes, but was unable to recover from the left bank. He said the aircraft entered a spin and descended, colliding with the water. According to an FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot, the pilot stated that he had departed early in the morning in order to catch the sunrise and take aerial photographs. The inspector said that the pilot further stated that during the flight, his passenger had fallen asleep in the front seat next to him, and as he was maneuvering the aircraft into a turn at an altitude of about 700 to 900 feet, the control yoke became jammed, and the aircraft entered a spin and crashed into a lake, flipping over on its back. The inspector said that pilot stated that he and his passenger then swam through the doors, and escaped the sinking aircraft. According to the inspector, the impact separated the wings from the remainder of the fuselage, and during his postaccident examination of the flight control system, the inspector also said that he found damage consistent with overstress. The inspector further stated that there was no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunction to the flight control system. Information provided by the U.S. Customs Service showed that an aircraft had been observed at 200 feet, operating in an area consistent with where the accident aircraft was later found. In addition, both the U.S. Customs report and a Puerto Rico Police Department report revealed that there was a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the pilot, but that the pilot had refused requests that he submit to an alcohol test. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61582](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61582-2013-04-26), registration cancelled 2013-04-26, S/N 17264656, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17264656 - Airframe hours: 2787 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Grisselle Hernandez - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 17, 2001, 60 hours before - Departed: SIG, San Juan, PR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 22, 1999; seat: left; flight hours: 287 total, 240 in this make and model, 227 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: SJU, 40 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20011123034589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011123034589A), Nov 23, 2001: Cessna 172M, Arecibo, PR, No damage. (-23) On November 23, 2001, about 0940 gtm, Cessna 172-M, N61582, operated by enrique gonzalez, crashed at cano tiburones lagoon near Arecibo, puerto rico… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.