- Date
- August 22, 1994, 16:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Aguadilla, PR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6332PCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940822022699A
- Case key
- 37591
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 failure of the pilot-in-command to divert and refuel resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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 flight was from grand turk, turks and caicos islands to san juan, puerto rico. The pilot stated that at 1330, about 1 hour after departure, the engine lost partial power and he operated at rich mixture for about 20 minutes until power was restored. About 2 and 1/2 hours after departure the VOR went off line and he had difficulty navigating. The pilot stated that at 1640, while 6 miles from the Aguadilla airport the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion and he crashed into trees while making a forced landing.
Factual narrative
On August 22, 1994, about 1640 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 152, N6332P, registered to E D B Air, Inc., collided with trees while making a forced landing following loss of engine power at Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 ferry flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, on August 22, 1994, about 1233.
The pilot stated to NTSB that he was ferrying the aircraft from Hollywood, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico. After a refueling stop at Grand Turk he departed for San Juan. About 1 hour after departure the engine lost about 400 rpm. He went to full mixture and throttle and turned on the carburetor heat. Engine power stabilized about 2,000 rpm. After 15 seconds he turned off the carburetor heat. After about 20 minutes engine power was restored and he was able to lean the mixture. The engine was now operating at 2,400 rpm with a 50 rpm fluctuation. He stated he used up his fuel reserve while operating with rich mixture and that the reduced engine RPM also slowed his speed.
The pilot stated further that 2 1/2 hours after departure the VOR went off line and he had trouble navigating. While approaching Aguadilla he became low on fuel, and subsequently the engine failed due to fuel exhaustion. While making a forced landing near the Aguadilla airport the aircraft collided with trees and then the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6332P
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285002
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Houk Corporation
- Registered owner
- Edb Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MBGT · Grand Turk, OF
- Destination
- TJSJ · San Juan, PR
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 100 in this make and model · 1,150 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TJB, 3 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.
Other investigations on N6332P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.