What happened
During a flight from Culebra, Puerto Rico, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, an aircraft disappeared from radar surveillance. The pilot was operating under visual flight rules and had not filed a flight plan or requested a weather briefing prior to departure. While positioned approximately 10 miles east of Fajardo, the pilot established communication with San Juan Radar Approach Control. The controller confirmed the aircraft was in radar contact three miles east of the Fajardo airport. Following instructions to enter a right downwind pattern for runway 10 south of plaza Carolina, the pilot confirmed an altitude of 1,600 feet.
Two minutes after this exchange, the air traffic controller reported that radar contact with the aircraft had been lost. Search efforts by ground personnel eventually located the wreckage on the slopes of El Yunque Mountain. There were no survivors reported from the incident.
Findings
Investigation of the site and meteorological data indicated that a weak cold front was moving across Puerto Rico at the time of the accident. Satellite imagery showed a band of low clouds covering the crash location. Furthermore, a pilot operating a police helicopter attempting to reach the wreckage described the conditions as instrument flight conditions. A mechanical inspection of the engine, flight controls, and airframe components showed no anomalies or signs of mechanical failure.