- Date
- July 1, 1994, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmas Del Mar, PR
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4287LFullana Quicksilver GT-500
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940701017429A
- Case key
- 37569
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
The pilot's abrupt lowering of the flaps which resulted in a loss of control at an altitude insufficient for recovery, and the pilot's unwarranted low flying.
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 pilot of the experimental homebuilt airplane was observed maneuvering along the shoreline at about 20 ft above the water. The surviving passenger stated the pilot was lowering the flaps to slow the airplane to point out an apartment. As the pilot quickly lowered the flaps the airplane pitched down, hit the water, and sank.
Factual narrative
On July 1, 1994, about 1800, Atlantic standard time, N4287L, a homebuilt, Quicksilver GT-500, registered to the pilot Eduardo Castellanos, crashed in the water adjacent to Palmas Del Mar, Puerto Rico, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The recreational certificated pilot received fatal injuries, the passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight had originated from a local airport about 15 minutes earlier.
Witnesses and the passenger stated that the pilot was flying about 20 feet above the water along the beach and was attempting to point out an apartment to the passenger. The pilot stated he would slow the airplane down and he added flaps. The passenger observed the nose pitch down and the airplane collided with the water and sank. The passenger stated he released his shoulder harness and seatbelt and swam to the surface for air. He attempted to dive to release the pilot twice but could not do so. The passenger was then assisted to the shore by surfers in the area.
Examination of the airplane, engine, and controls by the FAA inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4287L
- Reported as
- Fullana Quicksilver GT-500 (QUICKSILVE)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 942
- Engine
- Rotax R-582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Castellanos, Eduardo
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- AAIP · April 14, 1994
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 208 total · 15 in this make and model · 14 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 11 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 30,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TJS, 41 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.