American Eagle Flight 5456
| Industry | Aviation |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Puerto Rico , United States |
| Products | Commuter airline services (American Eagle brand) |
American Eagle Flight 5456, also known as Executive Air Charter Flight 5456, was a regularly scheduled commuter route connecting Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan with Eugenio María de Hostos Airport in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The service was operated by Executive Airlines, under the brand name American Eagle, utilizing a CASA C-212 aircraft. On June 7, 1992, amid heavy rainfall, the aircraft impacted a swamp area short of the runway, leading to the loss of all five individuals aboard.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a decade-old CASA C-212 Aviocar 200, bearing registration N335CA and serial number 234, which had accumulated a total of 14,135 flight hours.
Crew
The flight's captain, Alton Emmanuel Leslie, aged 31 and hailing from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, possessed 6,634 hours of flight experience, including 2,634 hours on this specific model. The first officer, Joseph Dischler from Jennings, Louisiana, was 30 years old; however, his total flying hours were not publicly disclosed.
Accident
While approaching Eugenio María de Hostos Airport in Puerto Rico, the first officer erroneously positioned the power levers into the beta (reverse thrust) range. This action caused a sudden descent and ultimately resulted in the aircraft crashing into a swamp. Tragically, all five occupants perished.
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted an extensive investigation spanning over three months and four years. Their findings revealed that corrosion had compromised the beta blocking device, enabling accidental engagement of reverse thrust by the first officer. This malfunction precipitated loss of control and the subsequent fatal crash. The NTSB identified the probable cause as follows:
"The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause of this accident to be the failure of the beta blocking device for undetermined reasons, and the second-pilot's inadvertent activation of the power lever, or levers, aft of the flight idle position and into the beta range, resulting in a loss of airplane."