Date:	Wednesday 7 August 2002
Time:	20:50
Type:	Lockheed MC-130H Combat Talon II
Owner/operator:	United States Air Force - USAF
Registration:	90-0161
MSN:	5265
Year of manufacture:	1991
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	near Caguas -   Puerto Rico
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Aguadilla-Borinquen Airport (BQN/TJBQ)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The MC-130 departed Borinquen to fly segments of two low-level routes that are used by the Puerto Rico ANG. After cresting a ridgeline power was reduced and the aircraft began a descent. The crew received an obstacle warning, but the crew believed this was caused by the weather (driving rain and heavy fog) and descent was continued. The Hercules eventually began to climb again until it struck a ridgeline at 2018 feet MSL.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "By clear and convincing evidence, the cause of this mishap was an uncharacteristic loss of situational awareness by the entire mishap flight deck crew and the subsequent lack of an appropriate response to obstacle warnings. The Board President further found the following factors substantially contributed to the mishap: overall crew preparation, a misdirected focus on the weather, crew resource management dynamics, and crew judgment as it relates to existing directives."

Executive summary aircraft accident investigation MC-130H, S/N 90-0161 Caguas, Puerto Rico 7 August 2002

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