Incident Overview
Description
A Convair CV-440 cargo plane crashed into a lagoon shortly after departure from San Juan-Luis Mu¤oz Mar¡n International Airport (SJU), Puerto Rico. Both pilots were killed. The airplane took off from runway 10 at San Juan-Luis Mu¤oz Mar¡n International Airport bound for Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport (SXM). It carried 12100 pounds of cargo mainly consisting of bread. Shortly after takeoff the captain declared an emergency, stating that they wanted to return to the airport. They reported smoke coming from one of the engines. Air traffic control cleared the flight to land on runway 10, but the crew requested runway 28 for landing. This was approved and the controller cleared N153JR to land, stating that the wind was “150 at 3”. The flight came down in the Torrecilla Lagoon on the east side of the airport. It sank in 30-50 feet of water. Investigation showed that the estimated ramp weight of the airplane was 47,710 lbs. The Convair CV-440s maximum allowable takeoff weight of 48,000 lbs requires use of both the antidetonation injection and autofeather systems; however, because neither system was used on the accident flight, the maximum allowable takeoff weight was 40,900 lbs. Flight crew injuries were consistent with the first officer flying the airplane at the time of impact; however, considering the first officers limited recent experience in the Convair CV-440 and the performance deficiencies identified in his training and certification history, he was likely not capable of handling the emergency without help from the captain. The captain on the other hand was likely suffering from acute sleep loss at the time of the accident, which would have negatively affected his ability to guide the first officer in properly handling the emergency. Probable Cause: “The flight crew’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed after shutting down the right engine due to an in-flight fire in one of the right augmentors. The failure to maintain airspeed resulted in either an aerodynamic stall or a loss of directional control.”
Source of Information
http://www.primerahora.com/aviondecargacaecercadelaeropuertoencarolina-624914.html, http://www.elnuevodia.com/hallancuerposdepilotosqueviajabanenavionaccidentado-1213196.html, http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/CVLP,_vicinity_San_Juan_Puerto_Rico,_2012http://www.primerahora.com/aviondecargacaecercadelaeropuertoencarolina-624914.html, http://www.elnuevodia.com/hallancuerposdepilotosqueviajabanenavionaccidentado-1213196.html, http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/CVLP,_vicinity_San_Juan_Puerto_Rico,_2012Primary Cause
Failure to maintain adequate airspeed after shutting down the right engine due to an in-flight fire in one of the augmentors.Failure to maintain adequate airspeed after shutting down the right engine due to an in-flight fire in one of the augmentors.Share on:
