What happened
Shortly after departing from runway 16 at Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport, a Douglas aircraft experienced a critical mechanical failure during its initial climb. The pilot first notified air traffic control that the right engine had ceased functioning and received permission to perform an emergency return to the airport. However, shortly thereafter, the left engine also failed.
Following the loss of both engines, the aircraft became uncontrollable, entered a steep dive, and impacted the Caribbean Sea approximately three kilometers from the coast. The wreckage was scattered; some debris remained on the surface while other components sank to a depth of 300 meters. The accident resulted in 102 fatalities, including several notable passengers such as members of the Puerto Rico National Women's Volleyball Team and professional boxer Carlos Teo Cruz.
Findings
Investigations into the crash were hindered by the fact that neither the flight data recorder nor the cockpit voice recorder could be located. The aircraft had been recently delivered to the operator, Dominicana de Aviación, in December 1969. While investigators could not reach a definitive conclusion due to the lack of recoverable evidence, it is suspected that water contamination in the fuel may have triggered the simultaneous failure of both engines.