Crash of a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter off Parismina

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1977 at 0810 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
TI-SPF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San José - San José
MSN:
100
YOM:
1956
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
5122
Circumstances:
Operated by the Costa Rican Ministry of National Security, the aircraft departed San José-Juan Santamaria Airport at 0710LT for an overflight of the Tortuguero National Park, carrying two pilots, a Park Officer and three photographers. While cruising over the sea off Parismina, the engine exploded. Unable to reach the nearest airport, the crew ditched the aircraft about 500 meters offshore. All six occupants swam to the shore and the airplane sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Convair CV-880-22-2 in San José: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N8817E
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San José - Caracas
MSN:
22-00-65
YOM:
1962
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Two minutes and 20 seconds after takeoff from runway 25 at San José-Juan Santamaria Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine airplane rolled to the right, lost height and crashed in a wooded area located 4 km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as both CVR and FDR were inoperative at the time of the accident. However, the assumption that the accident was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft was not ruled out.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188C Electra into the Caribbean Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1977 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N126US
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San José - Caracas
MSN:
1105
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane departed San José-Juan Santamaría Airport at 1400LT on a cargo flight to Caracas, carrying one passenger, three crew members and a load of 16,330 kilos of frozen meat. While in cruising altitude over the Caribbean Sea, the airplane plunged into the sea in unknown circumstances, about 65 km east of Bocas del Toro, Panama. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the airplane nor the four occupants was found.

Crash of a Cessna 402 in San José: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1976 at 1353 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TI-AVE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San José - Santa José
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a local training flight, carrying one pilot under supervision, one instructor and one pilot from the Civil Aviation Authority. Shortly after takeoff from runway 07, while climbing, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 2 km northeast of the airfield, near the farm called La Fuente. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all three occupants have been killed.
Crew:
José María Fernández Jiménez,
Ricardo José Cordero Murillo,
Adrián Garro.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando near Port-au-Prince: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
TI-1010C
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Port-au-Prince - San José
MSN:
33348
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Port-au-Prince Airport, while climbing, one of the engine failed. The crew lost control of the airplane that crashed onto a mountain slope located few km from the airport. All four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando off Puntarenas: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1970 at 1120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AMK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San José - San José
MSN:
254
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew (four technicians and three pilots) departed San José-Juan Santamaría Airport in the morning on a post maintenance test flight. En route, in unknown circumstances, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the gulf of Nicoya off Puntarenas. The wreckage was found 1,2 km east of San Lucas Island. All seven occupants were killed.