Aircraft lost power on crosswind after dropping banner, tried
to turn around, hit perimeter fence
A Piper PA-18 Super Cub registered to Aerial Sign of Puerto Rico
crashed Sunday afternoon at San Juan's (PR) Isla Grande Airport
(Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci, TJIG) just a few moments after
completing a banner drop and initiating a climb.
The pilot was identified locally by The San Juan Star as Marcelo
Runikcs, 42. He has been operating the aircraft on the island for
five years and has become a well known, regular fixture in the
skies with his colorful banners.
Runicks received minor injuries and was taken to the a local
diagnostic and care center in Santurce, located a couple of minutes
away from the airport. The aircraft, however, was declared a total
loss, with subtantial damage to the wings, cockpit, fuselage and a
collapsed landing gear.
According to the FAA preliminary report, the aircraft had just
dropped a banner and was initiating a climb to crosswind when the
engine failed. The pilot immediately turned right to come back to
runway 27, but did not make it and hit the perimeter fence. the
Ports Authority of Puerto Rico reported that there was minor damage
to the airport facilities, and the airport soon reopened with no
impact to any of the regular flights scheduled in and out of the
busy downtown reliever for SJU International Airport.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 5546Z
Make/Model: PA18 Description: PA-18
Super Cub (L-18C, L-21, U-7)
Date: 09/12/2004 Time: 1809
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury:
Minor Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: SAN
JUAN
State: Country: PR
DESCRIPTION
ACFT COMPLETED A BANNER DROP ON THE NORTH NON MOVEMENT AREA
AND STARTED
CLIMBING FOR THE LEFT CROSSWIND. ACFT APPEARED TO EXPERIENCE
A POWER
FAILURE IN THE LEFT CROSSWIND AND MADE A RIGHT TURN BACK FOR
LANDING. ACFT
TOUCHED DOWN ON APPROACH END OF RWY 27 AND HIT THE ARPT
PERIMETER FENCE.
MINOR INJURY AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IS REPORTED. SAN JUAN,
PUERTO RICO
INJURY DATA Total
Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
1 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat:
0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
# Grnd:
Fat: 0 Ser:
0 Min:
0 Unk:
WEATHER:
VFR
OTHER DATA
Activity: Business Phase:
Landing Operation: General
Aviation
Departed:
TJIG
Dep Date: 09/12/2004 Dep. Time: 1700
Destination:
TJIG
Flt Plan: VFR
Wx Briefing: U
Last Radio Cont: 1809Z
Last Clearance: CLRD TO LND
FAA FSDO: SAN JUAN, PR
(SO21)
Entry date: 09/13/2004