What happened
A cargo flight operated by Fresh Air, Inc. departed from runway 10 at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, bound for St. Maarten. Shortly after the departure, the crew declared an emergency. The captain requested a return to the airport and inquired if air traffic controllers could observe smoke trailing from the aircraft. While controllers did not observe unusual smoke, they cleared the flight to land on runway 28.
As the aircraft attempted to align with the approach for runway 28, it entered a descending right turn. Radar tracking indicated the plane was at an altitude of approximately 520 feet and traveling at roughly 88 knots. This speed was notably below the published stall speed for level flight and near the minimum control speed. During this maneuver, the aircraft continued to bank to the right until radar contact was lost.
The aircraft impacted Laguna La Torrecilla, resulting in two fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft.
Findings
Post-accident inspections identified fire and thermal damage on the right wing's rear spar and nacelle area, specifically near the junction of the augmentor and exhaust muffler assemblies. While an exact ignition source was not confirmed, the damage was located aft of the engine. No mechanical failures were found that would have prevented standard engine operation.
Evidence regarding engine configuration at impact was contradictory. Although the crew likely intended to shut down the right engine due to fire, investigators found the left propeller feathered upon impact, while the right engine settings suggested a shutdown but the propeller pitch indicated high power. The investigation concluded that the failure to maintain adequate airspeed after shutting down the right engine led to an aerodynamic stall or loss of directional control.