Incident Overview
On May 8, 1987, Flight 5452, a commuter service operated by Executive Air Charter, Inc. under the trade name American Eagle, departed San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 0620 local time. The aircraft, a CASA C-212CC, was en route to Mayaguez with four passengers and two crewmembers aboard. Although scheduled for 0615, the captain arrived late, causing a five-minute delay in departure.
Approach and Accident Sequence
The flight proceeded under visual flight rules with routine communications until the vicinity of Mayaguez. The captain cancelled the flight plan and initiated a visual approach to runway 9 without making the standard in-range call to operations. Witnesses reported the aircraft appeared too fast on the downwind leg and executed a tighter turn than normal. As the plane approached the runway, it rolled right and nosed over. One witness observed the right wing and engine separate from the airframe as fire erupted upon impact.
Passenger Accounts
Passengers described unusual engine noises prior to the crash. One noted lower-than-usual noise levels, while another reported strange sounds and a brief flame from the left engine. A third passenger heard a metallic sound similar to landing gear movement immediately before impact. The fourth passenger was asleep during the final moments.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that improper maintenance of the propeller flight idle blade angle and engine fuel flow led to an asymmetric power condition, resulting in a loss of control. A contributing factor was the pilot's execution of an unstabilized visual approach.