1972 Puerto Rico DC-7 crash
A DC-7CF similar to the aircraft that crashed | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 31 December 1972; 53 years, 2 months ago |
| Summary | Single engine failure on takeoff |
| Site |
|
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Douglas DC-7CF |
| Operator | American Express Leasing |
| Registration | N500AE (NTSB listed as previous N23N) |
| Flight origin | Isla Verde International Airport, San Juan |
| Destination | Las Mercedes Airport, Managua |
| Passengers | 3 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 5 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On December 31, 1972, a DC-7 cargo aircraft crashed in Carolina, Puerto Rico, killing all five people on board, including baseball legend Roberto Clemente. As a result of inadequate maintenance, the aircraft's No. 2 engine failed after takeoff. After initiating a turn to return to the airport, the aircraft eventually descended into, or attempted to ditch into, the ocean a mile offshore. The crash site was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places in 2022.