Accident Convair CV-440-38 N153JR,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 320971
 

Date:Thursday 15 March 2012
Time:07:38
Type:Silhouette image of generic CVLP model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Convair CV-440-38
Owner/operator:Jet One Express
Registration: N153JR
MSN: 117
Year of manufacture:1953
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney R-2800
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off
Category:Accident
Location:1,5 km E of San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) -   Puerto Rico
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Cargo
Departure airport:San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ)
Destination airport:Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport (SXM/TNCM)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
A Convair CV-440 cargo plane crashed into a lagoon shortly after departure from San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), Puerto Rico. Both pilots were killed.
The airplane took off from runway 10 at San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín 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-440’s 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 officer’s 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."

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: NTSB/AAR-14/04
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 10 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

Primerahora
El Nuevo Dia
NTSB
SKYbrary 

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
19 February 1961 N94256 Lyndon B Johnson 2 LBJ Ranch, TX w/o

Location

Images:


photo (c) NTSB; San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU); 15 March 2012; (publicdomain)


photo (c) Brian T Richards; Sint Maarten-Juliana Airport (SXM/TNCM); 01 March 2010


photo (c) Sergio Cardona; San Juan-Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU/TJSJ); 13 June 2011

Revision history:

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