- Date
- April 5, 1990, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Levittown, PR
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- HI515Lockheed L-1049F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 32554
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fire of an undetermined origin that resulted in a loss of power in two engines during a three engine ferry flight. Factors related to the accident were: failure of the pilot to obtain the required authorization for the three engine ferry flight, and his operation of the aircraft with known deficiencies.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The captain of the airplane elected to take off on a three engine ferry flight without authorization. During the three engine climb out with the no.3 propeller feathered, the no.2 engine caught fire and he could not extinguish the fire. He attempted to return and during the descent the no.1 engine failed. He then intentionally ditched the airplane in the ocean, and received fatal injuries. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean and no determination of cause could be ascertained.
Aircraft
- Registration
- HI515
- Reported as
- Lockheed L-1049F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4192
- Airframe hours
- 16,822
- Engine
- Curtis Wright R-3350, 2,800 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aerolineas Mundo S.A.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 4, 1990 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- SJU · San Juan, PR
- Destination
- Santo Domingo, OF
- Flight plan
- VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Foreign, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SJU, 11 nm away