Barrancabermeja | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Both engines failed in flight for unknown reason. The pilot reduced his altitude and elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane hit a large tree and crashed. Six occupants were killed while two others were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight for unknown reason.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near La Palma: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1968 at 1143 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1101-G

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Barrancabermeja – Bogotá

MSN:

YOM:

1951

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine aircraft departed Barrancabermeja Airport at 0900LT bound for Bogotá-Eldorado Airport. En route, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the region of La Palma. The wreckage was found ten days later and all three occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Barrancabermeja: 24 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1962 at 1640 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-437

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bucaramanga – Barrancabermeja

MSN:

4697

YOM:

1942

Flight number:

TX209

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2566.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1064

Copilot / Total hours on type:

331

Circumstances:

Flight 209 was a scheduled public transport flight from Bucaramanga to Barrancabermeja and was to return the same evening. The aircraft departed Bucaramanga at 1628 hoiurs and six minutes later the pilot reported crossing the Palonegro beacon and that the flight was proceeding normally. It was heading west at 4,500 feet and estimated its time of arrival at Barrancabermeja as 1650 hours. This was the last and only report received from the aircraft. The aircraft crashed sometime between 1640 and 1730 hours local time, in daylight. The aircraft crashed in a wooded area located 48 km east of Barrancabermeja and was destroyed. Both pilots, a stewardess and 21 passengers were killed, two others were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to an error of judgement on the part of the pilot in trying to fly VFR in IFR conditions. The heavy rain prevented him from seeing trees with which he collided, and loss of control of the aircraft resulted.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in Barrancabermeja: 19 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1962 at 1557 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

HK-794

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Barrancabermeja – Bucaramanga

MSN:

4551

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9532

Captain / Total hours on type:

2007.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6295

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1500

Circumstances:

The DC-3 took off from Barrancabermeja runway 03 at 15:57. After 250 m the aircraft began veering to the left of the centreline and then swerved to the right. At 490 m into the takeoff, the DC-3 left the runway, corrected direction, crossed the centreline again and traversed the left-hand safety strip. The pilot corrected to avoid a collision with the T wind indicator and the aircraft entered the parking apron. The pilot applied full power as he altered direction to align with the aircraft parallel with the main runway. The starboard wing grazed the apron surface, and the aircraft bounced several times. The pilot decided to takeoff from the apron and attempted after a run of another 258 m to lift the aircraft without the necessary speed. The wingtip struck two helicopters (one of the two being a Hiller UH-12, HK-781E) on the ground, and the tail skid and cone struck a fuel tank at the edge of the apron. The aircraft cartwheeled 180° to port and fell into a depression 30 m deep and 120 m from the northern edge of the apron.

Probable cause:

The main cause of the accident was faulty piloting in the form of poor flight technique during take-off, with overcontrol of the aircraft throughout the 1169.70 m covered. The pilot used faulty judgement in trying to take-off outside the main runway 03 in use at the time. A contributing factor was faulty dispatching of the aircraft whose centre of gravity was outside the aft limit for take-off with maximum load at Barrancabermeja Airport.

Final Report:

Crash of a Noorduyn Norseman near Barrancabermeja: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1959 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Noorduyn Norseman

Operator:

ASPA - Aspersiones Antes

Registration:

HK-454

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Aguas Claras – Barrancabermeja

MSN:

323

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

While approaching Barrancabermeja on a flight from Aguas Claras, the engine caught fire. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing when the airplane hit a tree and crashed in flames. All seven passengers were injured while the pilot and owner of the company, Walter Trujillo Villegas , was killed.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Douglas C-53B-DO near Puerto Araujo: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

C-108

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogota – Barrancabermeja

MSN:

4829

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in a mountainous area located near Puerto Araujo. The wreckage was found a week later. All 17 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing 247D in Manzanares: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1939 at 1345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 247

Operator:

Registration:

C-149

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Barranquilla – Barrancabermeja – Honda – Bogotá

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft named 'Antonio de Ollala' was performing a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá with intermediate stops in Barrancabermeja and Honda. The aircraft departed Barrancabermeja at 1240LT and was scheduled to land in Honda at 1350LT. On approach, the aircraft went out of control and crashed for unknown reason in Manzanares, west of Honda. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Samuel Zerda, pilot,
Ulrich Schneider, copilot and radio operator.
Passengers:
Roberto Blanco,
Barbarita Rodriguez de Blanco,
Margot Blanco Rodriguez,
R. F. Beaujon,
Gerard Frobel,
Mr. Lozano.