| Date: | Sunday 31 December 1972 |
| Time: | 19:23 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-7CF |
| Owner/operator: | American Express Leasing |
| Registration: | N500AE |
| MSN: | 45130/823 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1957 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | off San Juan-Isla Verde International Airport (SJU) -
 Puerto Rico
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | San Juan-Isla Verde International Airport (SJU/TJSJ) |
| Managua-Las Mercedes Airport (MGA/MNMG) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The DC-7, 4193 lb (1902 kg) overloaded, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea, after the no. 2 engine failed and the no. 3 engine lost power.
The engine failure resulted from inadequate maintenance and inspection and previous damage (taxiing accident Dec. 2, 1972). The Flight Engineer was unqualified for the DC-7.
Baseball player Roberto Clemente, 38, was killed in the accident. Clemente was on a relief mission to deliver supplies for earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
PROBABLE CAUSE:
powerplant - engine structure: master and connecting rods
powerplant - engine structure: cylinder assembly
powerplant - engine structure: piston,piston rings
miscellaneous acts,conditions - excessive-wear/play
personnel - maintenance,servicing,inspection: inadequate maintenance and inspection
pilot in command - inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning
FACTORS:
personnel - operational supervisory personnel: deficiency,company maintained eqpmt,services,regulation
miscellaneous acts,conditions - improperly loaded aircraft-weight-and/or c.g.
miscellaneous acts,conditions - previous damage
miscellaneous acts,conditions - aircraft came to rest in water
Sources:
Lawsuit (p.376-381)
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
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