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Crash of a Vickers 745D Viscount near Quetame: 21 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1982 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-2382
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Villavicencio - Bogotá
MSN:
212
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
RS217
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of 7,700 feet in stormy weather, the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Quetame. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 21 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-35-CU Commando in the Orteguaza River

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-388
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Medellín - Barranquilla
MSN:
26796
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport on a cargo flight to Barranquilla-Soledad, carrying six passengers and three crew members. En route, the aircraft was hijacked by four people who wanted to be flown on a remote airstrip located in the Guajira Peninsula. Four to five tons of weapons were loaded on board the airplane that departed and flew to the region of Florencia. The crew was forced to land in the Orteguaza River, about 7 km east of Florencia. The airplane came to rest in shallow waters, all weapons were offloaded and the aircraft was abandoned. The crew were released by the hijackers on November 10, 1981.
Probable cause:
Forced landing in water after being hijacked.

Crash of a Vickers 745D Viscount near Florencia: 50 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1981 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1320
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Florencia - Neiva
MSN:
112
YOM:
1956
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
50
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Florencia-Gustavo Artunduaga Paredes Airport, while cruising in bad weather conditions, the four engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Santa Elena shrouded in clouds and located about 48 km north of Florencia. The wreckage was found few hours later. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 50 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew continued to fly under VFR mode in IMC conditions below the minimum safe altitude as published in the procedures.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando on Mt Páramo de Laura: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1978 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1350
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bucaramanga - Leticia - La Paz
MSN:
22557
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
While cruising in VFR mode in adverse weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Páramo de Laura (3,543 meters high) located south of Sogamoso, Boyacá. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain caused by the combination of the following (contributing) factors:
- Strong winds caused the airplane to be off course,
- The crew was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions,
- Limited visibility,
- The airplane was not airworthy as two VOR receivers were missing and one ADF was unserviceable,
- There were 15 passengers on board while the aircraft was configured for six passengers only.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-56 LodeStar in Bogotá

Date & Time: Jan 5, 1974 at 1516 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1146
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bogotá - Flandes - Bogotá
MSN:
2327
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (three pilots under supervision and two instructors) departed Bogotá-El Dorado Airport in the early morning on a training flight to Flandes, Tolima. Several touch and go maneuvers were completed at Flandes Airport and during the last takeoff, the undercarriage failed to retract after the hydraulic system failed. On approach to Bogotá-El Dorado, the crew was unable to lower the flaps thus a flapless landing was completed on runway 12. After touchdown, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest in a drainage ditch. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a pressure line in the hydraulic system was broken in the right landing gear well, causing a leak of hydraulic fluid. This caused the brakes to be ineffective as well.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-10-CU Commando near Villavicencio

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-790
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
26480
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in San Carlos de Guaroba, in the suburb of Villavicencio. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown (somewhere in March 1970). There were no casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando in Bogotá

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1969 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-683
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bogotá – Cali
MSN:
33367
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 30, while climbing to an altitude of 300 feet, the airplane lost height and descended until it crashed 1,6 km past the runway end. All three crew members were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft. The total weight was well above the MTOW.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando on San Andrés Island

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-682
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
33226
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident on San Andrés Island in 1968 (exact date unknown). No casualties.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando on Mt Planchón-Peteroa: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-527
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bogotá – La Paz – Santiago – Buenos Aires
MSN:
33215
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a special cargo flight from Bogotá to Buenos Aires with intermediate stops in La Paz and Santiago de Chile, carrying five passengers, three crew members and a load of eight bulls for an exhibition in Buenos Aires. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Planchón-Peteroa (4,107 meters high) located about 200 km south of Santiago. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was eventually found on 18 November 1966. All eight occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Puerto Arturo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-811
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Villavicencio – Mitú
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, weather conditions deteriorated and the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances in an uninhabited area located in the region of Puerto Arturo. As the airplane failed to arrive at Mitú Airport, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found on November 13. Four wounded people were evacuated while both pilots were killed.