What happened
On August 7, 1997, at approximately 12:48 Atlantic Standard Time, a mid-air collision occurred involving two Britten-Norman BN-2 aircraft near the Diego Jimenez Airport in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Both aircraft were performing visual approaches to the landing threshold of runway 08 at the uncontrolled airfield.
At the time of the incident, the aircraft registered as N1202S was following a non-standard right-hand traffic pattern. Simultaneously, the aircraft registered as N26JA was following a standard left-hand traffic pattern. The collision took place at an altitude of roughly 100 feet above ground level.
According to accounts from passengers aboard N26JA, the other aircraft appeared from the right side at a significantly lower altitude and passed beneath them. The next time the occupants of N26JA observed the other plane, it was impacting the tail section of their aircraft.
Findings
Post-accident inspections of both the N1202S and N26JA airframes showed no mechanical discrepancies or technical failures. The collision was a result of the aircraft operating in conflicting traffic patterns.