Zone
Colón

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante near Colón: 21 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1994 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante
Operator:
Alas Chiricanas
Registration:
HP-1202AC
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Colón – Panama City
MSN:
110-375
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
00901
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
21
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Colón-Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport in poor weather conditions (low pressure zone). During initial climb, the aircraft suffered an explosion and crashed 10 km from the airport. The crew did not send any distress call. The aircraft disintegrated and all 21 occupants were killed, among them 12 Jewish businessman.
Probable cause:
It was reported that metal fragment were recovered on all bodies and that the 'accident' was the result of an in-flight explosion caused by the presence of a bomb places on board by members of a terrorist group called 'Ansar Allah'.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5S2 Mariner off Colón: 15 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
59232
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
59232
YOM:
1945
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
While taking off from the Colón-Coco Solo NAS, the aircraft suffered a right engine failure, lost speed and height and eventually burst into flames while hitting a concrete pier. A crewman survived while 15 others were killed.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine on takeoff.

Crash of a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer in Colón: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1954 at 2017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
On final approach by night to France Field Airport in Colón, the airplane hit tree tops and crashed in a dense wooded area located 1,200 meters short of runway 36. Seven crew members were killed while seven others were injured.
Crew:
Lt Stephen E. Griffin, †
Michael R. Paveslch, †
A1c Clarence Fry, †
A3c John R. Parmenter Jr., †
A3c Robert C. Kratt, †
A3c Harold T. Lane, †
Arthur L. Manor, †
Lt John E. Tochey,
Lt Robert J. Bixler,
A1c Robert D. Ross Jr.,
A1c Robert V. Delke,
A2c Kenneth D. Klewer,
A2c Andrew R. Hinkle,
A3c Clarence H. Schneider.

Crash of a Martin PBM-5 Mariner off Colón: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1949
Type of aircraft:
Martin PBM Mariner
Operator:
Registration:
84655
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
En route, while cruising over the Caribbean Sea, the crew declared an emergency and informed ground about a fire on board. While descending to Coco Solo AFB located in Colón, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames into the Caribbean Sea some 21 km off shore. All nine crew members were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Colón: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
04468
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coco Solo - Coco Solo
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training exercise near Colón. While descending to the Manzanillo Bay, off Coco Solo NAS, the crew turned on the approach lights when the seaplane hit the water surface and sunk. Five crew members were killed while four others were rescued.
Probable cause:
It seems the pilot misjudged the distance between the aircraft and water surface due to the glassy water surface that probably caused an optical illusion and wrong distance indication to the crew, favored by the approach lights.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina off Colón: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
04474
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coco Solo - Coco Solo
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
On take off from Coco Solo NAS in Colón, the seaplane hit a tug and crashed into the Manzanillo Bay. All seven crew members on board the aircraft were killed as well as six crew members on board the tug.

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 Keystone B-3A off France Field: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1935
Type of aircraft:
Keystone LB-3
Operator:
Registration:
30-289
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Caribbean Sea, some 24 km north of France Field (now Colón). Two crew members were rescued and three others were killed.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38B off Colón

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1931 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Sikorsky S-38
Operator:
Registration:
NC306N
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Postal (mail)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Talara – Colón
MSN:
414-04
YOM:
1929
Location:
Colón
Colón
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a mail flight from Talara, Peru, to France Field (Colón). Upon arrival, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Limón Bay. All three occupants were injured.

Crash of a Keystone LB-6 in Managua: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Keystone LB-6
Operator:
Registration:
29-15
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Managua – France Field
Location:
Managua
Managua City District
Country:
Nicaragua
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way from Managua to France Field, Colón, Panama, carrying three crew members. After takeoff from Managua, while in initial climb, the left engine caught fire. The pilot decided to return for an emergency landing and initiated a turn when the right engine lost power. The aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. All three occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. In the evening, the pilot died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
Left engine fire after takeoff and loss of power on the right engine.
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