Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 24 July 1979
Aircraft Type: de Havilland DH-114 Heron 2D
Owner/operator: Prinair
Registration Number: N575PR
Location: Saint Croix-Alexander Hamilton Airport (STX) – ÿ U.S. Virgin Islands
Phase of Flight: Initial climb
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 21
Component Affected: Aircraft ? Specifically, the aircraft’s center of gravity (CG) was 8 inches beyond the maximum rear limit, impacting the aircraft?s stability and control.Aircraft ? Specifically, the aircraft’s center of gravity (CG) was 8 inches beyond the maximum rear limit, impacting the aircraft?s stability and control.
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
On March 5, 1969, a single-engine aircraft, a Prair Heron N563PR, crashed into the ground approximately 5500 feet from the runway end, resulting in the deaths of all 19 occupants. The aircraft was severely overloaded with 1060 pounds and exhibited an out-of-balance condition, leading to a roll left and right, a downward pitch, and loss of altitude. The aircraft?s nose-high attitude and right-wing-down attitude were observed before impact.On March 5, 1969, a single-engine aircraft, a Prair Heron N563PR, crashed into the ground approximately 5500 feet from the runway end, resulting in the deaths of all 19 occupants. The aircraft was severely overloaded with 1060 pounds and exhibited an out-of-balance condition, leading to a roll left and right, a downward pitch, and loss of altitude. The aircraft?s nose-high attitude and right-wing-down attitude were observed before impact.

Description

The aircraft attained a nose-high attitude after takeoff and started to roll left and right. The aircraft pitched down and up and rolled left and right again while losing altitude. The plane struck the ground about 5500 feet from the runway end and 792 feet right of the extended centerline in a right-wing-down attitude. It appeared that the aircraft had been overloaded by 1060 pounds and that the center of gravity (CG) was 8 inches beyond the maximum rear limit. The exact identity of this aircraft is uncertain. Prinair Heron N563PR which crashed 5 March 1969 killing all 19 on board was quoted by the NTSB report AAR-70-09 as well as Heron production lists to be c/n 14125. Strangely enough NTSB report NTSB-AAR-80-3 also explicitly states the identity of N575PR being c/n 14125. Also, N575PR / c/n 14125 was still current in the FAA aircraft register in 2004. Probably the identity papers of the real c/n 14125 (N563PR) were used together with another airframe. Possibilities: N557PR (c/n 14077) or N565PR (c/n 14116). PROBABLE CAUSE: “The pilot’s loss of control of the aircraft after take-off because of the aircraft’s grossly overweight and out-of-balance condition which resulted from misloading by the company’s load control personnel. The misloading was due to the failure of the company to supervise and to enforce its loading procedures. The Safety Board also determines that inadequate surveillance and enforcement by the FAA were causal factors in this accident.”

Primary Cause

The pilot’s loss of control of the aircraft due to gross overweight and imbalance caused by a misloaded aircraft, resulting in a failure of the company’s loading procedures and inadequate surveillance and enforcement by the FAA.The pilot’s loss of control of the aircraft due to gross overweight and imbalance caused by a misloaded aircraft, resulting in a failure of the company’s loading procedures and inadequate surveillance and enforcement by the FAA.

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