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Crash of a Douglas DC-7B in La Paz

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1962 at 1508 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-7
Operator:
Registration:
N51702
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
La Paz – Miami
MSN:
44702
YOM:
1955
Location:
La Paz-El Alto
La Paz
Country:
Bolivia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft suffered an accident while taking off from La Paz-El Alto Airport, en route to Miami-Intl. The aircraft was written off while all 42 occupants were evacuated safely.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A off Chorillos

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC19470
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lima - Lima
MSN:
11680
YOM:
1943
Location:
Chorillos
Lima
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Parked at Lima-Limatambo Airport, the aircraft was stolen by two mechanics and two friends that started the flight without any permission. While flying south of the capital city, off Chorillos, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3A-399 in Cháparra: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1943 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
NC33645
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Santiago de Chile – Arequipa – Lima
MSN:
4124
YOM:
1941
Flight number:
PAG009
Location:
Cháparra
Arequipa
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total flying hours:
1437
Captain / Total hours on type:
1151.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
722
Copilot / Total hours on type:
280
Aircraft flight hours:
3179
Circumstances:
Fifty-five minutes after its departure from Arequipa Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 13,000 feet in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit the side of a mountain located near Cháparra. Extensive emergency resources were dispatched to the scene where a seriously injured passenger was evacuated while fourteen other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Gordon W. Gardner, pilot,
Robert W. Turbyne, copilot,
James T. Ewing, radio operator,
Jorge Alvarez, purser.
Probable cause:
Action of the pilot in continuing the flight on instruments in the overcast, contrary to company flight procedure of which, according to the evidence, the pilot was aware. Investigations also highlighted some shortcomings by the company, whose lack of control of its operation remains a contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Sikorsky S-43 off Rio de Janeiro

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1941 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Sikorsky S-43
Operator:
Registration:
NC16928
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
4317
YOM:
1928
Location:
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Country:
Brazil
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training flight in the Guanabara Bay, consisting of approaches and landings. On approach, the seaplane hit the water surface in a nose down attitude, overturned and sank. All four crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew and poor judgement on part of the pilot-in-command upon landing. The glassy water surface was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-118A in Quito

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC14292
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Salinas – Manta – Esmeraldas – Quito – Cali
MSN:
1352
YOM:
1935
Location:
Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City)
Pichincha
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Guayaquil on an international schedule service to Cali, Colombia, with intermediate stops in Salinas, Manta, Esmeraldas and Quito. About five minutes after takeoff from Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City) Airport, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 3 km from the airport. All five occupants were injured.
Crew:
J. J. Schiedel, pilot,
Mr. Benninghoff, copilot,
Mr. Arba Mock, radio operator,
Mrs. Maya Tafur, stewardess.
Passenger:
Mr. Luis Luna.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-118A on Mt Mercedario: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC14272
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Santiago de Chile – Arica
MSN:
1305
YOM:
1934
Location:
Mt Mercedario
San Juan
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed Santiago on a cargo flight to Arica. While cruising over the Andes Mountains, the aircraft disappeared. As it failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew was found. Walkers found the wreckage in February 1941 on the slope of Mt Mercedario, in the west part of the Argentinian Andes.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-118A near San Luis: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC14298
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mendoza – Córdoba
MSN:
1370
YOM:
1935
Location:
San Luis
San Luis
Country:
Argentina
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight from Mendoza to Córdoba, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility due to fog. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a hilly terrain located 32 km north of San Luis, bursting into flames. All three occupants were killed and the aircraft named 'Santa Elena' was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-43 off Cristóbal: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1937 at 1938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Sikorsky S-43
Operator:
Registration:
NC15065
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lima – Guayaquil – Tumaco – Cali – Cristóbal – Panama City
MSN:
4305
YOM:
1936
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total hours on type:
991.00
Circumstances:
While descending to Cristóbal-France Field (Colón) at an altitude of some 2,000 feet, the pilot informed ATC that he was approaching the city via the Bahía Limón Bay. In limited visibility due to rain falls, the float plane named 'Santa Maria' went out of control and crashed into the sea few km offshore. Debris were found the following floating on water and all 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The Board is conclusively of the opinion that the accident was caused by the NC15065 striking the water while moving less then 90 miles per hour, tearing the ship to pieces, causing the death of all aboard and that a fire resulted from the impact with the water. The Board is convinced that at the time of the collision the plane had a minimum of 80 gallons of gas which would have burned on the water a sufficient length of time to cause all burns or scorches found one any recovered wreckage. The specific contributing cause of this aircraft colliding with the water is beyond the knowledge of man. However, there must have been a specific contributing cause or causes, and the Board is of the opinion that the most probable contributing cause is one of the following and in the order named:
- Failure of one or both engines due to faulty gasoline system, occurring during the spiraling down mentioned in the pilot's last radio message.
- The encountering of a sudden severe rain, as altitude was being lost by the plane in the spiraling descent, resulting in the blanking out of all visual contact.

Crash of a Douglas DC-2-118B in San José Pinula: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-2
Operator:
Registration:
NC14273
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Salvador – Guatemala City
MSN:
1306
YOM:
1934
Location:
San José Pinula
Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While descending to La Aurora Airport in Guatemala City, while on a mail flight from San Salvador-Comalapa, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near San José Pinula, about 13 km southeast of La Aurora the airport. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
A. Paschal, pilot,
Al Palmer, copilot,
J. P. Neyman, radio navigator.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Lima: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 24, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
NC433H
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Lima - Lima
MSN:
5-AT-100
YOM:
1932
Location:
Lima-Limatambo
Lima
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight out from Lima-Limatambo Airport. On final approach, the airplane named 'San Felipe' went out of control and crashed onto several houses located near the airport. Both crew members and two people on the ground were killed.
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