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MIA89FA065

1989-01-16 · CAROLINA, Puerto Rico · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

N457SA has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA 40 NG, built 2023), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THAT THE PROPER FUEL LOAD WAS PLACED ON THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDED THE IMPROPER REFUELING OF THE AIRCRAFT, IMPROPER INITIAL TRAINING OF THE REFUELER AND THE CROP, WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

Factual narrative

THE PLT ORDERED 42 GALLONS OF FUEL TO BE ADDED TO THE ACFT WHICH WOULD BRING THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD TO 60 GALLONS. THE LINEMAN ADDED 4.2 GALLONS BRINGING THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD TO 22.2 GALLONS. THE PLT DID NOT VERIFY THE FUEL LOAD PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN FROM SAN JUAN TO VIEQUES IN WHICH 12 GALLONS WERE BURNED. NO FUEL WAS ADDED AND THE PLT AGAIN DID NOT VERIFY HIS FUEL LOAD. THE FLT DEPARTED VIEQUES EN ROUTE BACK TO SAN JUAN WITH 10.2 GALLONS OF FUEL. ON DESCENT INTO SAN JUAN BOTH ENGINES FAILED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD. AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 100 YDS THE LEFT LDG GR COLLAPSED. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED IT CONTAINED 36 OUNCES OF FUEL WITH NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE. THE ENGINES WERE OPERATED TO FULL POWER WITH NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE LINEMAN HAD BEEN HIRED AS A PART-TIME EMPLOYEE ON 1/2/89. HE STATED HE WAS WORKING ONLY HIS FIFTH DAY AND THAT HE HAD NO FORMAL REFUELING TRNG. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_MIA89FA065.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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