Cundinamarca | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The DC-3 took off from Pereira at 17:24 for a flight to Bogotá, via reporting points El Paso, Girardot and La Esperanza. The aircraft arrived overhear La Esperanza at 18:18 and was instructed to hold there at FL130. The flight was cleared to leave the intersection at 18:33 to the Bogotá VOR. The crew estimated to arrive over the Bogotá VOR at 18:44 and were then instructed to descend to FL120 for an ADF approach to Bogotá Airport, reporting at the Bogotá VOR at FL120 and over the outer marker at 9800 feet. The plane arrived abeam the Bogotá VOR ahead of schedule, at 18:41, and was instructed to maintain FL120 until 18:44. At 18:42 the flight crew reported seeing another aircraft in their vicinity. They thought it to be a DC-4, but was actually a Curtiss C-46 which had been cleared for final approach. The DC-3 crew took evasive action, losing control of the aircraft. The DC-3 crashed near Facatativá.

Probable cause:

The pilot of the aircraft in observing the presence of another aircraft abruptly initiated a right turn which ended in an abnormal 'nose below the horizon' attitude, which he was unable to rectify in time. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Error of other personnel: The pilot of the other aircraft initiated the instrument descent from 12,000 feet after 2 min 55 sec, when the normal time would have been 1 min 15 or 20 sec, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Bogotá approach-to-land chart and the Manual of Colombian Air Routes approved by the Administrative Directorate of Civil Aeronautics, thereby creating a risk of collision in the air;
- The pilot of the subject aircraft had been flying on DC-4s and C-46s as well as DC-3s. The psychological reaction of the pilot at a critical moment was certainly affected by habits acquired on DC-4 and C-46 aircraft.
- Possible failure of equipment (faulty distribution of flight instruments in the cockpit): This is a design effect, since the artificial horizon in the subject type of aircraft was hidden behind the pilot's control column, which made it more difficult to control the flight posture of the machine.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680 in Puerto Salgar: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1958

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Aero Commander 680

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-552

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Palanquero – Puerto Salgar

MSN:

680-453-123

YOM:

1958

Location:

Puerto Salgar-Capitan Germán Olano Moreno

Cundinamarca

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Puerto Salgar-Capitan Germán Olano Moreno Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Río Magdalena. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader near Madrid AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1958 at 0830 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-2512

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Palanquero – Madrid – Apiay

MSN:

27437

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Palanquero Airport at 0730LT. While approaching Madrid AFB near Bogotá, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Cáqueza: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1956 at 0705 LT

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

HK-133

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogotá – Medellín - Quibdó

MSN:

21998

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Santa Cecilia Airport, Bogotá at 0647LT bound for Medellín and Quibdó, carrying a crew of 5 and 11 passengers. Take-off was made at a time when the airport was closed due to poor visibility. While flying on instruments a few moments after take-off, the starboard engine failed. The aircraft continued its flight over the Sabana de Bogotá for approximately 23 minutes, following which, while flying on a magnetic heading of approximately 280 degrees, it crashed violently (at approximately 0705LT) against the Quetame Hill located near Cáqueza, about 30 km southeast of Bogotá, at an elevation of 9,170 feet. The flight engineer and one passenger were injured while 14 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The probable cause of the accident was a complete failure of the starboard engine due to the breakdown of the lubricating system. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Recklessness of the pilot in taking off from a closed airport while aware of the poor weather conditions prevailing throughout the Sabana, a circumstance which prevented returning to the airport of departure when complete breakdown of the starboard engine occurred,
- The 1,506 kg overload of the aircraft above the maximum gross operating weight for Bogotá according to the performance curves of the aircraft,
- The adverse weather conditions prevailing from the moment of take-off until the moment of the accident,
- An error of judgment on the part of the Operations and Maintenance Sections of the Company in failing to provide for a test flight of the aircraft after the turbine section had been changed and in finding aircraft HK-133 airworthy for the purpose of a scheduled flight with passengers under such conditions,
- The lack of competent air traffic and weather authorities at Santa Cecilia airport in a position to check civil aviation regulations and to prohibit take off from a closed airport,
- Faulty internal organization within AIDA which should have defined exactly the duties of the Maintenance Superintendent, of the Maintenance Chief and of the Dispatcher,
- The failure of the Company to have available a spare engine which would have avoided carrying out such delicate repair work in a hasty manner.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Salto Del Tequendama: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1955

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-113

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bogotá – Melgar

MSN:

532

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Weather conditions deteriorated enroute and the single engine aircraft crashed near Salto Del Tequendama, killing all three occupants. The airplane left Bogotá-Techo Airport at 1030LT.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Madrid AFB

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1951

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-311

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Cali – Bogotá

MSN:

20183

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route to Bogotá, an engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to divert to Madrid AFB. While descending, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field and the aircraft crash landed few km from the airbase. Both crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Bojacá: 32 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1949 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Servicios Aéreos Tolima

Registration:

HK-1200

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogotá – Ibagué

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Bogotá-Techo Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed on a mountain located near Bojacá, about 20 km northwest of Bogotá. All 32 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Madrid AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1948 at 1542 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

662

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Madrid - Madrid

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training sortie in Madrid AFB. On final approach, the twin engine aircraft collided with a private Luscombe that just took off from the same runway. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed near the runway threshold. All four crew members on board the C-47 and the pilot of the Luscombe were killed.

Probable cause:

The pilot of the Luscombe started the takeoff procedure without authorization from ATC. At the time of the collision, the crew of the C-47 just received the permission to land from ATC.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Alto El Arrastradero: 14 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1948

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

C-1002

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

El Secreto – Bogota

MSN:

6252

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Bogota Airport, the aircraft hit the slope of Alto El Arrastradero mountain located about 40 km northeast of the capital city. A 14 years old girl was rescued while 14 other occupants were killed.

Subscribe to Cundinamarca