Prinair plane crash in the 1970's

I think this is probably the crash you're looking for:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=58971&key=0

I found it searching the NTSB website here:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp

Not much info about it, but some. I searched a few other databases and none of them list Prinair ever having a crash in St. Thomas, only 2 in PR.

Blaze, thank-you so much for finding something concrete to read about it. Laurie

I remember an airplane crash into the Beachcomber Hotel. It was NOT a PRINAIR airplane... it was a Beechcraft D-18, and the pilot was a fellow called "El Gato" Costa.

Hope this helps...

Hi Laurie,

My name is Alina Costa de Varona, the daughter of the pilot, Alfredo Costa, who also perished in that accident which occurred on April 21, 1971. I was 10 years old at the time.

I came across this site doing some genealogical research so I'll be happy to share whatever information I've come across during my search. I've already given you the date of the accident and the aircraft was a twin-engine Beechcraft.

Among the other victims, the were Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Trepanier of Salem, NH and Mr. & Mrs. Donald Sedlack of Tom's River, NJ.

If you'd like to correspond, please private message (PM) me and I will give you my email address.

Best regards,
Alina

Hi there,

Please pardon me for contacting you out of the blue.

My name is Alina Costa de Varona. Alfredo (aka El Gato Costa) was my father. I saw your post of June 10, 2012 and thought you might have know him. Did you?

There is one piece of information I am looking for and that is the city/town in Spain where he was born. He and his parents went to Cuba in the 30s during the Spanish Civil War and became Cuban citizens. My mother doesn't recall his city/town of birth.

Would you be able to help?

Best regards,
Alina

alideva, it looks as though LaurieJ (the original poster) is no longer a contributor to this board.

Oh what a shame. Do you or anyone else know anything else about this accident?

@Blaze

I'm john Kempf, 1 was at the Sedlak wedding,  grew up with both Don and Karen. My daughter was born 4,21,71. The day of the crash. Our First child name is Donna, partially because he was my best friend. We had just finished their house so they could move in after the Honeymoon.  I'm in the BI working  for Fema and just thought I d look this date up and found this thread. Such a sad time.

@alideva

I was at the Sedlak wedding,  grew up with both of them. My daughter was born 4,21,71. The day of the crash.....

That is so sad @jkempf 

I’m sorry for your loss.

Tonight I was thinking about that terrible day, which started so wonderfully, and asked about the crash on Grok 2, which is how I found this thread.

My wife and I met the 2 honeymoon couples and spent the day in St Thomas with them and were planning to have dinner with them that evening; we were all married on April 17 and were staying at the El San Juan hotel. They were so happy.

We felt so guilty as we thought they stood us up for dinner, and found out about the accident when the hotel’s assistant manager knocked on our door the next morning. He was shocked when I answered the door because our names were on the fatality list, as we were scheduled to fly on that plane but they misspelled our last name and I did not respond when they called the name Sheridan instead of Sheehan. So, when they asked if anyone’s name was not called I raised my hand and they put us on the second plane flying that day.

We wrote to one of the families, as the couple gave us their address in NJ, many months after the accident as it was so upsetting.

Whoever may have known them I ask for God’s peace and comfort for you and all those who lost such precious individuals that day. 🙏😥

As by chance, my new family and I are scheduled to dock in St Thomas and San Juan in June 2026 on the Icon of the Seas. This will be the first time I will return to St Thomas since that day; it won’t be easy.