Accident Overview
On December 20, 2024, at approximately 1400 Atlantic standard time, a Cessna 172S, registration N22088, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Cintrona, Puerto Rico. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
The airplane departed from Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (TJIG) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Initial ADS-B data indicated the aircraft was about 8 nautical miles (nm) southwest of the airport. It then proceeded to Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport (TJVQ) on Isla de Vieques, where the pilot performed an approach consistent with a touch-and-go landing. Subsequently, the aircraft flew to Mercedita Airport (TJPS) in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where another touch-and-go landing was conducted before departing to the north. Shortly after departure from TJPS, a recording of the airport’s common traffic advisory frequency captured the pilot transmitting “Mayday mayday… loss of control…088 Cessna.” A final mayday transmission followed about 20 seconds later. The last ADS-B data point was located approximately 2 nm northeast of the departure end of runway 12 at TJPS and about 0.3 nm northeast of the accident site.
Accident Site
The crash site was located in a mango orchard about 1.8 nm from the departure end of runway 12 at TJPS. Debris was scattered along a path approximately 360 ft long, oriented on a magnetic heading of 345°, at an elevation of 46 ft mean sea level. The initial impact point was about 15 ft up a mango tree. The initial ground impact scar, about 140 ft from the tree impact, contained pieces of wheel fairing. The main impact crater, which held the propeller, was roughly 30 ft from the initial ground scar. A tree next to the crater had pieces of wing leading edge and a 6-inch diameter branch impact-separated. The left wing and left door post were wrapped around a tree about 48 ft beyond the main crater, with a 1 ft diameter branch separated and tree canopy containing fuselage and cabin fragments. The right wing and engine were located about 75 ft past the left wing, with engine and airframe components strewn along the path. The fuselage and empennage were found about 70 ft beyond the right wing and engine.
Wreckage Examination
The cockpit and all instruments and avionics were destroyed. Both wings, the engine, both horizontal stabilizers, and the vertical stabilizer were impact-separated and distributed along the debris path. Rudder control continuity was established from the flight control horn to the rudder pedals through an impact separation with fracture features consistent with overload. Elevator control cable continuity was confirmed from the control surface bellcrank to the cockpit bellcrank. The elevator trim tab actuator measured 5° pitch up. Left and right aileron continuity were verified from the control surface bellcranks to the flight controls in the cockpit through multiple impact fractures consistent with overload separation. Aileron balance cable continuity was confirmed from left to right aileron bellcrank through an impact fracture consistent with overload separation, exhibiting broomstraw appearance and unraveling. The aileron control yoke chain and cable assembly cable was fractured just below the right yoke chain.
The engine was impact-separated and found about 150 ft from the initial ground scar, with significant impact damage. The induction and exhaust systems were destroyed. Both magnetos were impact-separated; impulse couplings snapped when the drive was rotated by hand. The ignition key was found in the both position. All major accessories except the engine-driven fuel pump were impact-separated; the fuel pump remained secure to the accessory case. The propeller was buried about 8 inches in the dirt at the main impact crater, with S bending, leading edge polishing, and chordwise scratching on the blades.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.