Vieques Air Link Flight 901A
| Industry | Airline |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Vieques , Puerto Rico |
Vieques Air Link Flight 901A was a scheduled service from Vieques Airport in Vieques, Puerto Rico to St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands that ended in a fatal accident on August 2, 1984, resulting in the loss of all nine individuals aboard.
Crash
The flight utilized a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft, bearing the registration N589SA, which departed at 7:55 AM following refueling. Eyewitnesses observed the plane descending unexpectedly, momentarily climbing again before executing a left bank and ultimately plunging into the Atlantic Ocean.
Passengers
The ages of those on board spanned from 11 to 75 years old; the ages of two female passengers were not disclosed.
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the 21-year-old pilot held a commercial license restricted to air charter services and lacked certification to serve as pilot-in-command for commuter airline operations. Water contamination was found in the left fuel tank, which led to failure of the No.1 engine while over water. The pilot’s improper handling caused the aircraft to invert and crash.
The aircraft exceeded its maximum takeoff weight by approximately 600–700 pounds. Despite regulatory requirements for ten life vests onboard, none were discovered within the wreckage by divers. Among ten life vests recovered from the site, four had unsecured CO₂ inflation canisters; subsequent FAA inspections revealed that nearly 40% of Vieques Air Link’s life vests exhibited similar malfunctions.
Moreover, safety instruction cards aboard displayed an image of a Britten-Norman Trislander instead of the Islander model and incorrectly illustrated the procedures for inflating life vests.
Autopsy results indicated that impact injuries caused fatalities for the pilot and three passengers, while the other five succumbed to drowning after sustaining impact trauma.
Recommendations
In July 1985, following their inquiry, the NTSB issued several critical recommendations:
- Pilatus-Britten Norman should distribute a safety bulletin alerting operators and owners regarding water contamination risks in fuel tanks.
- Operators of Britten-Norman aircraft must check fuel quality for contamination prior to the first flight each day and after refueling.
- All Eastern Aero Marine Model G-12 life vests should undergo inspection with emphasis on CO₂ cylinder security and compliance with Technical Standard Order markings.
See also
- Pan Am Flight 526A
- US Airways Flight 1549
- Dominicana DC-9 air disaster
- 1977 Vieques Air Link crash
- FlyMontserrat Flight 107
External links
- Airliner accidents and incidents in Puerto Rico
- Airliner accidents and incidents caused by engine failure
- Accidents and incidents involving the Britten-Norman Islander
- Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1984
- Aviation accidents and incidents caused by pilot error
- Vieques Air Link accidents and incidents
- 1984 in Puerto Rico
- August 1984 in North America