What happened
On February 22, 2026, at 09:15 Atlantic standard time, a Pilatus Brittan-Norman Limited BN-2B-27 (registration N865VL) was involved in an accident at Benjamin Rivera Noriega Airport (CPX) in Isla de Culebra, Puerto Rico. The aircraft was operating as a Part 135 air taxi flight, traveling from Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport (RVR) in Ceiba to CPX.
After completing a routine landing at CPX, the pilot taxied the aircraft toward the terminal. While performing a second right turn on the taxiway, the aircraft experienced a loss of right braking action. This caused the plane to veer to the left and exit the paved surface of the taxiway, crossing over a drain overflow into an adjacent grass area. The pilot was able to regain control and proceed to the terminal, where all eight passengers and the pilot were not injured.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot flew the aircraft to the operator's maintenance facility for inspection. During this follow-up examination, maintenance personnel discovered that the left wing in the main landing gear well had buckled. Additionally, the inspection revealed that the right brake caliper seal was leaking.