About 0922 Atlantic standard time on July 24, 1979, Puerto Rico International Airlines, Inc., Flight 610, a deHavilland Heron DH-114, crashed on the airport while executing a takeoff from the Alexander Hamilton Airport, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. There were 19 passengers and 2 crewmembers on board. The first officer and 7 passengers were killed, and the captain and 12 passengers were injured seriously. The aircraft was destroyed. Witnesses saw the aircraft assume a nose-high attitude shortly after takeoff. The aircraft then began to roll to a left then to a right wing-down attitude, followed by a momentary pitchdown. The aircraft then pitched up and oscillated to a left wing-down and then a right wing down attitude while losing altitude. It struck the ground while in a right wing-down attitude. The gross weight of the aircraft at takeoff was found to be 1,060 lbs over its maximum allowable takeoff weight of 12,499 lbs., and the center of gravity was about 8 ins. beyond the maximum allowable rear limit.
Aircraft Accident Report - Puerto Rico International Airlines, Inc. (PRINAIR) DeHavilland Heron, DH-114, N575PR, Alexander Hamilton Airport, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, July 24, 1979
1980
62 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Transportation Safety , Air Transportation , Aeronautics , Aviation accidents , Accident investigations , Takeoff , Crash landing , Attitude control , Pitch(Inclination) , Roll , Center of gravity , Weight(Mass) , Loading procedures , Virgin Islands , DH-114 aircraft , Alexander Hamilton Airports , Christiansted(Saint Croix)