Crash of a Boeing 757-27A in San José

Date & Time: Apr 7, 2022 at 1025 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HP-2010DAE
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San José – Guatemala City
MSN:
29610/904
YOM:
1999
Flight number:
JOS7216
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
16381
Captain / Total hours on type:
6233.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
10545
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2337
Aircraft flight hours:
39205
Circumstances:
The airplane departed San José-Juan Santamaría Airport runway 07 at 0940LT on a cargo service (flight JOS7216) to Guatemala City, carrying two pilots and a load of various goods. When the crew reached FL210, he declared an emergency and reported technical problems with the hydraulic system. The crew encountered a 'HYDRAULIC QUANTITY indication then a HYDRAULIC SYSTEM PRESSURE (L ONLY) second indication. At this time, the left autopilot and yaw damper disengaged. After being cleared to return, the crew followed a holding pattern and the airplane landed at a speed of 137 knots (Vref 130 kts) on runway 07. Following a normal touchdown, the crew initiated the braking procedure when the airplane started to veer to the right. It skidded to the right, made an almost 90° turn, descended a bank, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a grassy area located about five metres below the runway elevation, broken in two. Both pilots evacuated with minor injuries.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the airplane suffered a major failure of the left hydraulic system in flight. This caused the autobrake, the left reverser, the rudder ratio and the nosewheel steering system to be inoperative. Only few spoilers were operative.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Fatigue and stress on the individual cables in the cross-section of the flexible hydraulic retraction hose of the L/H MLG down-locking actuator.
- The probable inadvertent synchronized movement of the right Reverse Thrust Lever and left Engine Control Thrust Lever, as a reaction to muscle memory.
Final Report:

Crash of a Quest Kodiak 100 in Guatemala City: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-SMT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Guatemala City – Cobán
MSN:
100-0080
YOM:
2012
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a cargo flight to Cobán. After takeoff from Guatemala City-La Aurora runway 02, while in initial climb, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in trees located in a garden along the 4th Avenue, in the Zone 9 district, approximately 980 metres from the end of runway 02. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Cessna 421 Golden Eagle near Génova: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 2018
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N113FT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Guatemala City – El Petén
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in an open field located near Génova. The aircraft came to rest upside down and both occupants were killed. It is understood that the registration was false as N113FT is officially attributed to a Piper PA-46 according to the FAA. Thus, it is believed that the flight was illegal.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 in Guatemala City

Date & Time: Nov 21, 2015 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C6-TAK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Guatemala City
MSN:
31-228
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
191
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4735
Aircraft flight hours:
7600
Circumstances:
The crew departed Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport on a local training flight. Shortly after takeoff from runway 02, while in initial climb, the aircraft entered a right turn then lost height and crashed near an industrial building located about 900 metres from the runway 20 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Both pilots escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The aircraft stalled at low height after takeoff due to a poor crew coordination about flight controls.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R (Panther) in Guatemala City: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 2010 at 0855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
TG-LAP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Guatemala City - San Salvador
MSN:
31-8012043
YOM:
1980
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport at 0840LT on a flight to San Salvador-Ilopango Airport, carrying two passengers and one pilot. About 4-5 minutes after takeoff, while climbing in IMC conditions, the pilot reported technical problems with the instruments and was cleared for an immediate return. Shortly later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a meat packing plant located in the approach path. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces as well as the building. All three occupants as well as one people in the factory were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following the failure of the attitude indicator while climbing in IMC conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 208A Caravan I in Cabañas: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 2008 at 0941 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-JCS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Guatemala City - El Estor
MSN:
208-0327
YOM:
2001
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Captain / Total flying hours:
3057
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2596
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport at 0923LT on a flight to El Estor with 12 passengers and two pilots on board. About 18 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered engine problems. The captain contacted ATC and declared an emergency. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. Three passengers were seriously injured while 11 other occupants including both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The sudden engine failure during flight, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, the aircraft impacting unsuitable terrain at a descent angle. The engine power loss was caused by the fracture of more than one compressor turbine blade, the impact of the blades in the inner parts general causing damage on the internal mechanism of the turbine station. The gas generator was rotating at low speed with the propeller feathered on the first impact with the ground. The high concentration of fire in the compressor section and in the combustion chamber, possibly indicate that several attempts were made on the engine to cause the compressor to continue working after losing the blades.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne in Quetzaltenango

Date & Time: Nov 22, 2006
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-NCN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Quetzaltenango
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Quetzaltenango-Los Altos Airport, the pilot encountered engine problems. He completed a belly landing in a wheatfield located few km from the airport. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E in Guatemala City: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 2001 at 0642 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-CFE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Guatemala City – San Pedro Sula
MSN:
86 17 05
YOM:
1986
Flight number:
ATL870
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
2467
Aircraft flight cycles:
4001
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 01 at Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the twin engine aircraft rolled left and right then stalled and crashed beside the runway, about 550 metres from its end. The copilot and four passengers were injured while eight other occupants including the captain were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft stalled during initial climb because the passengers seats were not properly allocated, causing the center of gravity to be outside the permissible limit. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The Atlantic Airlines company, at the date of the accident, did not have sufficiently trained administrative and operational personnel for a safe operation.
- The poor allocation of the passengers inside the cabin affected lift, causing the aircraft to stall. Due to its low height, it was impossible to expect a stall recovery. This shows that the aircraft collapsed completely without move on the ground and being destroyed by the weight of the engines and their wings that were full of fuel.
- Lack of crew training, especially the copilot who was not rated on this type of aircraft. Thus, he was not able to assist the captain in an emergency situation but only reading the checklist.
- The engines were operating normal at the time of impact and they were running in normal takeoff conditions.
- No evidence of mechanical failure was found.
- The accident shows that the aircraft was operating normally, but that due to aerodynamic circumstances, it entered a stall and crashed on the ground abruptly and uncontrollably.

Crash of a Douglas DC-10-30 in Guatemala City: 18 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1999 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-GTDI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Havana - Guatemala City
MSN:
46890
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
CU1216
Country:
Crew on board:
18
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
296
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Captain / Total flying hours:
16117
Captain / Total hours on type:
4872.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8115
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4156
Aircraft flight hours:
85760
Aircraft flight cycles:
27331
Circumstances:
Leased from AOM French Airlines, the aircraft was completing a charter flight (service CU1216) from Havana to Guatemala City on behalf of Cubana de Aviacion, carrying 18 crew members and 296 passengers who were mostly young Guatemalan citizens studying medicine in Cuba. After touchdown on runway 19, the crew started the braking procedure but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down an embankment and eventually crashed onto several houses located in the district of La Libertad. Both pilots, six other crew members, eight passengers and two people on the ground were killed. Also, 57 people were injured (among them 20 on the ground) while 261 other occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed too far down the runway with an excessive speed, between 1,220 and 1,320 metres past the runway threshold. Runway 29 is 2,767 metres long and it was calculated that the landing distance available was reduced by 1,450 to 1,500 metres. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure while the landing procedure was obviously missed,
- An indicated airspeed (IAS) of the aircraft greater than the specified one, with an increase due to elevation and temperature,
- The initial gradient of the track that requires a vertical speed descent, during leveling, May than usual,
- The flotation of the aircraft during the leveling phase (flare), facilitated by the use of the “CWS” mode of the autopilot (procedure approved by the aircraft flight manual), without corrective action by the Commander,
- A probable tailwind component over which there was no exact information provided by the control tower and that was not monitored by the crew, as it was not in their procedures nor did he feel the need to,
- The failure of the crew to immediately start the braking procedure after touchdown, probably caused by a false visual impression of the crew which was facilitated by their lack of prior experience for the approach and landing on runway 19 at the Aurora Airport with this type of aircraft,
- The runway surface condition,
- A tailwind component.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S in Santa Catalina La Tinta: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1999 at 1130 LT
Operator:
Registration:
TG-RBK
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Guatemala City – Santa Catalina La Tinta
MSN:
500-1809-19
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach to a private airstrip located near Santa Catalina La Tinta, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 300 metres short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were poor with low clouds and rain falls. Thunderstorm activity was reported all along the route.