Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

After landing on runway 28R at Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport, the aircraft deviated to the left. It eventually veered off runway to the left and went down a slope, coming to rest with its nose gear torn off. All 54 occupants evacuated safely and aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing 737-291 near Toacaso: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 2008 at 2103 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-200

Operator:

Registration:

YV102T

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Delivery

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Caracas – Latacunga

MSN:

21545/525

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9018

Captain / Total hours on type:

5915.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3000

Copilot / Total hours on type:

989

Aircraft flight hours:

60117

Aircraft flight cycles:

52091

Circumstances:

The aircraft was parked at Caracas Airport for a while and had just been sold to an Ecuadorian operator. A crew of three departed Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport in the evening on a delivery flight to Latacunga, Ecuador. After being cleared to descend to FL180, FL150 then FL130, the crew was flying over a mountainous area when the GPWS alarm sounded. The crew apparently elected to gain height but the alarm sounded for 22 seconds when the aircraft collided with the Iliniza Volcano. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed. The wreckage was found the following day at an altitude of 3,992 metres.

Probable cause:

Non-compliance by the crew of the technical procedures, configuration, speed and bank angle of the aircraft required for the completion of the initial turn of the Instrument Approach Procedure n°4 published in the AIP Ecuador, to Latacunga Airport, a failure that placed the aircraft outside of the protected area (published pattern), leading to high elevation mountainous terrain.
Contributing factors:
- Ignorance of the crew of the area which was under the approach path.
- Lack of documentation and procedures of the airline that govern the conduct of flights to non-scheduled and special airports.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Caracas: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 2008 at 0955 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Aircraft Guaranty Holdings & Trust

Registration:

N6463L

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Caracas – Willemstad

MSN:

31-421

YOM:

1969

Location:

Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar

Vargas

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport on a private flight to Willemstad-Hato Airport, Curaçao, with two passengers and one pilot on board. During initial climb, the pilot reported engine problems and was cleared for an immediate return when he lost control of the airplane that crashed onto several buildings located in the district of Catia La Mar, about 6 km short of runway 09 threshold. The aircraft burst into flames and was totally destroyed. All three occupants as well as three people on the ground were killed. Five other people were injured.

Crash of an ATR42-300 in Mérida: 46 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 2008 at 1700 LT

Type of aircraft:

ATR42-300

Operator:

Registration:

YV1449

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Mérida – Caracas

MSN:

YOM:

1986

Flight number:

BBR518

Location:

Mérida

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Mérida-Alberto Carnevalli Airport runway 25, the aircraft climbed in clouds when it collided with a mountain located 10 km northwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 46 occupants were killed. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 4,100 metres.

Probable cause:

After departure from runway 25, the crew planned to use an unpublished procedure. Climbing through clouds a 180-degree turn was initiated. Using the unreliable magnetic compass, the flight made a 270 degree turn, heading towards rising terrain. The captain took over control from the copilot. When visual contact with terrain was regained, the crew noted they were heading for mountains. The captain tried to avoid rising terrain but the aircraft impacted the side of a mountain at 4,100 metres.

Ground accident of a DC-9-31 in Caracas

Date & Time: Feb 12, 2008

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

YV298T

Flight Phase:

Taxiing

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

48147/1048

YOM:

1981

Location:

Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar

Vargas

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was on a post maintenance delivery mission. A crew of two engineers was positioning the aircraft from a technical hangar at Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport to the main terminal. While taxiing on the ramp, the crew lost control of the aircraft that rolled to a grassy area and eventually collided with a drainage ditch. The left main gear collapse and the left wing was severely damaged. Both crew were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of control for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E3 off Los Roques: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 2008 at 0910 LT

Type of aircraft:

Let L-410

Operator:

Registration:

YV2081

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Caracas – Los Roques

MSN:

87 20 15

YOM:

1987

Location:

Los Roques

Los Roques Federal Dependencies

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At 0858LT, while cruising at an altitude of 7,500 feet some 83 km from the destination, the crew reported his position to ATC. About 10 minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the captain declared an emergency following a double engine failure. The aircraft lost height and crashed in the sea some 29 km off Los Roques Airport. Few debris were found floating on water and all 14 occupants were killed, among them 8 Italians, one Swiss and five Venezuelans. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor. On 19 June 2013, an Italian-Venezuelan search team found the wreckage at a depth of 974 metres.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a BAe 125-3A in Barcelona

Date & Time: Jun 26, 2006 at 0958 LT

Type of aircraft:

BAe 125

Operator:

Great Idea Corporation

Registration:

N125GK

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Caracas - Barcelona

MSN:

25127

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Caracas-Maíquetia-Simón Bolívar Airport, the crew complete the approach to Barcelona-General José Antonio Anzoátegui Airport. The airplane landed normally and after a course of about 100 metres, both main gears collapsed. The aircraft skidded on runway and eventually came to rest, bursting into flames. All 8 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 in El Cedrito: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 2006 at 1535 LT

Type of aircraft:

IAI Arava 201

Operator:

Registration:

GN-8168

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Puerto Ayacucho – Caracas

MSN:

071

YOM:

1981

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 6,700 feet in marginal weather conditions, the crew started the descent to Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar and descended to 5,000 feet when the aircraft struck trees and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near the village of El Cedrito, about 29 km southwest of the airport. The wreckage was found two day later, in the morning of May 7. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew started the descent prematurely.

Crash of a Beechcraft 350 Super King Air in El Junquito: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 2005 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 350 Super King Air

Operator:

Empresa Agroservicios Polar

Registration:

YV-783CP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Caracas – Charallave

MSN:

FL-313

YOM:

2001

Location:

El Junquito

Caracas Federal District

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a ferry flight from Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport to Charallave. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near El Junquito, about 35 km northwest of Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D-40 in Caracas

Date & Time: Mar 28, 2005 at 1615 LT

Type of aircraft:

Ilyushin II-18

Operator:

Registration:

CU-T1539

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Caracas – Havana

MSN:

296 4017 102

YOM:

1983

Flight number:

CRN4311

Location:

Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar

Vargas

Country:

Venezuela

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on runway 09, the captain decided to reject takeoff for unknown reasons. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the four engine aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest on the top of a hill with the n°1 engine torn off. All 97 occupants were rescued, among them 16 were injured, some seriously.

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