Cartagena

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Cartagena – Cali

MSN:

49940

YOM:

1990

Flight number:

RPB7463

Location:

Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón (ex Palmaseca)

Valle del Cauca

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

164

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

41329

Aircraft flight cycles:

18037

Circumstances:

After landing at Cali-Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport, the aircraft encountered difficulties to decelerate properly. It overrun the runway 19 (which is 9,842 feet long), lost its undercarriage, collided with the perimeter fence and came to rest on its belly. Six passengers were slightly injured while all other occupants escaped unhurt. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident was caused by a chain of errors and mistakes which began by accepting and carrying out a hasty descent that led to the omission of key points in the checklist such as the arming of the spoilers, excessive descent rate and speed and a configuration that led to faulty placement of the aircraft on the runway in abnormal conditions and 862 meters from the normal touchdown point. These conditions caused a vibration of the right main landing gear that could not be controlled by the Shimmy Damper, allowing higher loads to the strength of the undercarriage, which broke.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air in Ingleside

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1995 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft 200 Super King Air

Operator:

Western Airways Inc.

Registration:

N231RL

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Ingleside - Cartagena

MSN:

BB-868

YOM:

1981

Location:

Ingleside-T. P. McCampbell-Porter

Texas

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2000

Circumstances:

On December 18, 1995, at 1730 central standard time, a Beech B200, N231RL, was substantially damaged, during takeoff near Ingleside, Texas. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was owned by R.A. Beeler Leasing Company, of Carrizo Springs, Texas, and operated by Western Airways Inc., of Houston, Texas. The airplane was stolen from the West Houston Airport at 1600. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. According to U.S. Customs officials, the operator's chief mechanic reported the aircraft stolen as soon as the airplane was broken into by the two occupants. A U.S. Customs airplane was vectored to intercept the stolen airplane. The owner of the airplane reported there was approximately 800 pounds of fuel aboard at the time the airplane was stolen. The airplane was intercepted as it was landing at the T.P. McCampbell Airport, near Ingleside, Texas. The Customs aircraft landed and blocked the single 4,996 foot runway. While attempting to takeoff to evade law enforcement personnel, the airplane impacted a fence, crossed a ditch, and came to rest in a swamp. The two occupants of the airplane jumped out and ran. The pilot's son was captured, but the pilot was not apprehended. The following items were found in the airplane: bolt cutters, 2 masks, loaded weapons, the pilot's wallet, and charts and maps indicating that the planned destination of the flight was near Cartagena, Colombia. The nose landing gear collapsed, the left wing sustained structural damage, and the pressure bulkhead was punctured.

Probable cause:

The pilot's improper decision, while evading law enforcement personnel during an illegal/unauthorized operation.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-14 in María La Baja: 51 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1995 at 1938 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-9

Operator:

Registration:

HK-3839X

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bogotá – Cartagena – San Andres – Panama City – Cali – Bogotá

MSN:

45742/26

YOM:

1966

Flight number:

RS256

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

10924

Captain / Total hours on type:

4605.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4229

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3952

Aircraft flight hours:

65084

Aircraft flight cycles:

69716

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Bogotá-El Dorado Airport at 1843LT with a delay of six hours because of technical problems with the electrical systems. At 1934LT, after being cleared to start the descent to Cartagena-Rafael Núñez Airport, the crew descended from FL190 to FL080 when radar contact was lost. Four minutes later, the pilot of a Cessna 208 operated by Aerocorales informed ARTCC about a plane descending vertically and crashing in a marshy field located near María La Baja. The wreckage was found about 40 km southeast of Cartagena Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and among the debris, a nine year old girl was found alive, all 51 other occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control occurred after the pilot-in-command suffered a loss of situational awareness. Contributing to the loss of Vertical Situational Awareness, was the failure of the altimeter Number one during the descent, the lack of light in the altimeter Number two, the ineffectiveness of the Altitude Alert due to the failure of the altimeter Number one, the lack of radar service in the area, the complacency of the command crew because of good weather conditions, flight training that may not have been authorized by the company, the failure of the ground proximity warning system (GPWS), or lack of crew reaction time to respond to this alarm.

Final Report:

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante in Paipa: 21 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1981 at 0955 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-2651-X

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Paipa - Cartagena

MSN:

110-206

YOM:

1979

Location:

Paipa-Juan José Rondón

Boyacá

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

11947

Captain / Total hours on type:

328.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

800

Copilot / Total hours on type:

223

Aircraft flight hours:

1806

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Paipa-Juan Jose Rondon Airport Runway 22, the twin engine airplane encountered serious difficulties to gain height. It passed closely over trees and several houses on a distance of three km then the pilot-in-command initiated a left turn when the left wingtip struck the ground, causing the airplane to crash, bursting into flames. Five occupants were rescued while 17 others were killed. Four survivors died the next day from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Gonzalo Otero Rueda, pilot,
Carlos Rincon Trujillo, copilot,
Victor Rodriguez Rueda, flight engineer.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the total weight of the airplane was 6,491 kilos upon takeoff, some 821 kilos above the MTOW. This demonstrates negligence and carelessness in operation, in violation of the airplane's Operation Manual.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando off Cartagena

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1973 at 1850 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1383

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Barranquilla – San Andrés

MSN:

22522

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After it departed Barranquilla Airport, while cruising over the Caribbean Sea at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the left engine caught fire. The crew activated the fire extinguishing system but the was unable to feather the propeller due to a technical issue. Due increase speed and avoid any stall, the captain plunged and the passenger jettisoned the cargo. Eventually, the crew was forced to ditch the airplane into the Caribbean Sea about 34 km off Cartagena. The aircraft sank within four minutes and was lost while all three occupants were rescued.

Probable cause:

Powerplant fire and failure of the feathering system which led to critical flight conditions when the prop began windmilling. The following factors were reported:
- The aircraft was overloaded by 1,167 kilos,
- The crew was not aware of the load prior to departure.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188A Electra on Mt El Cable: 42 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1973 at 0746 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-188 Electra

Operator:

Registration:

HK-777

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Grumman HU-16 (SA-16) Albatross

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Bogotá – Cartagena – Barranquilla – San Andres – Willemstad

MSN:

1115

YOM:

1959

Flight number:

OD130

Location:

Mt El Cable

Bogotá Capital District

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8351

Captain / Total hours on type:

601.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1002

Copilot / Total hours on type:

134

Aircraft flight hours:

28914

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane departed Bogotá-El Dorado Airport Runway 12 at 0743LT on a flight to Willemstad, Curaçao, with intermediate stops in Cartagena, Barranquilla and San Andres Island. There were 36 passengers and six crew members on board. One minute and 50 seconds later, ATC instructed the crew to change frequency from 118.1 to 121.3. About three minutes after takeoff, while climbing, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt El Cable located 12 km southeast of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 42 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Available evidences were insufficient to establish with certainty the probable cause or causes of the accident.
The following findings were identified:
- The poor visibility conditions prevailing in the Bogotá area, particularly in the eastern hills where the accident occurred, played a decisive role in the accident.
- The takeoff and most of the initial climb proceeded normally. During the final phase of the flight, it was observed that the aircraft did not reach the required altitude and, more importantly, did not initiate the turn toward the Techo radio beacon in a timely manner, as required by procedure. For reasons that could not be clearly determined, the aircraft continued on its flight path until a few seconds before impact, at which point the pilot initiated a right turn even though the accident was already inevitable.
- The loss of data from both CVR and FDR erased essential evidence regarding the factors that caused the accident.
- Given the captain’s high level of flying skills, his dedication to strictly fulfilling his duties, and his excellent control of the aircraft, the investigators concluded that, although there is evidence suggesting a possible error in the application of established procedures during the takeoff phase, there may also have been a factor that could not be determined during the investigation and that may well have been a cause of the accident.

Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman SA-16B off Cartagena: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AN.1-4

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Jerez de la Frontera – Cartagena

MSN:

G-215

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Cartagena, the seaplane went out of control and crashed into the sea about 2,5 km offshore. A crew member was rescued while seven others were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54B-1-DO Skymaster in Cartagena: 56 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1966 at 2051 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

HK-730

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors: