Incident Overview

Date: Friday 8 May 1987
Aircraft Type: CASA C-212 Aviocar 200
Owner/operator: American Eagle, opb Executive Air Charter
Registration Number: N432CA
Location: 0,2 km from Mayagez Airport (MAZ) – ÿ Puerto Rico
Phase of Flight: Approach
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 6
Component Affected: Propeller flight idle blade angle and engine fuel flow.Propeller flight idle blade angle and engine fuel flow.
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A flight 5452, operating VFR to Mayaguez, experienced a significant incident due to a loss of control during a base leg turn. The aircraft executed a tight turn, overshot the extended centreline, and subsequently entered a violent turn, resulting in a ground impact. The aircraft then pivoted 180 degrees before coming to a rest upright.A flight 5452, operating VFR to Mayaguez, experienced a significant incident due to a loss of control during a base leg turn. The aircraft executed a tight turn, overshot the extended centreline, and subsequently entered a violent turn, resulting in a ground impact. The aircraft then pivoted 180 degrees before coming to a rest upright.

Description

Flight 5452 departed San Juan at 06:20 for a VFR flight to Mayaguez. The flight to Mayaguez was uneventful until the base leg turn to finals for runway 09. Witnesses saw the aircraft making a tight turn (without extending the downwind leg as usual) and overshooting the extended centreline. The aircraft then made a violent turn and entered a high sink rate. The right wingtip struck the ground 643 feet short of the runway threshold and 67 feet right of the extended centreline. The plane continued 100 feet through a chain-link fence and a ditch before pivoting about 180deg coming to rest upright. PROBABLE CAUSE: “Improper maintenance in setting propeller flight idle blade angle and engine fuel flow resulting in a loss of control from an asymmetric power condition. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot’s unstabilized visual approach.”

Primary Cause

Improper maintenance in setting propeller flight idle blade angle and engine fuel flow, leading to an asymmetric power condition and loss of control.Improper maintenance in setting propeller flight idle blade angle and engine fuel flow, leading to an asymmetric power condition and loss of control.

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