Zone

Crash of a Douglas DC-3C near San Vincente del Caguán: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 2014 at 1202 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-4700
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Villavicencio – Florencia
MSN:
9700
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
10233
Captain / Total hours on type:
9950.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4417
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3812
Aircraft flight hours:
27771
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Villavicencio on a cargo flight to Florencia, carrying three passengers, two pilots and a load consisting of 2,540 kg of various goods. While cruising under VFR mode at an altitude of 6,500 feet, weather conditions worsened and the crew attempted to modify his route when the aircraft impacted ground and crashed in a wooded and mountainous area located some 45 km north of San Vincente del Caguán, near Uribe. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain. The crew failed to evaluate properly the risks and the danger of poor weather conditions and decided to perform the flight in VFR mode. While cruising in IMC and failing to check the minimum prescribed altitude, the crew suffered a loss of situational awareness, causing the aircraft to hit he mountainous terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F28 Fellowship 3000 in Florencia: 46 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1985 at 0950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-1140
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bogotá – Neiva – San Vicente del Caguán – Florencia
MSN:
11165
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Aircraft flight hours:
1327
Aircraft flight cycles:
2288
Circumstances:
En route from San Vicente del Caguán to Florencia, the last leg of the trip, the crew was informed that the Florencia-Gustavo Artunduaga Paredes Airport was closed to traffic due to insufficient visibility caused by dense fog. Nevertheless, the crew attempted an approach and initiated a descent. The last radio contact was recorded 10 minutes prior to the accident when the aircraft was at an altitude of 3,600 feet. On final, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain shrouded in clouds and located 15 km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact and all 46 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain after the crew decided to continue the approach in below-minima weather conditions.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3D in San Vicente del Caguán: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1978 at 1350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1351
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Neiva - San Vicente del Caguán
MSN:
42958
YOM:
1946
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While descending to San Vicente del Caguán Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with low clouds. At an altitude of 6,800 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Granada covered by clouds. The aircraft was destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in San Vicente del Caguán: 19 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1971
Operator:
Registration:
HK-595
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Vicente del Caguán – Neiva
MSN:
19238
YOM:
1943
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 14 ar San Vicente del Caguán-Eduardo Falla Solano Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about 800 meters past the runway end. Two passengers were seriously injured while 19 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that one of the engine failed shortly after rotation and that the aircraft was overloaded by 311 kilos at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Canón del Paraiso: 26 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1965 at 1225 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1202
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Neiva – San Vicente del Caguán
MSN:
4402
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The flight was a scheduled domestic flight from La Manguita Airport, City of Neiva to San Vicente del Cagúan. It took off from Neiva at 1207 hours and its estimated time of arrival at its destination was 1245 hours local time. At 1500 hours, when there was no report from the aircraft, the Bogotá Control Centre declared a state of alert and at 1540 hours a state of emergency. On 11 November at approximately 1207 hours, the pilot-in-command of another aircraft informed Neiva through Airway Control that he had spotted the remains of the aircraft at a place named Canón del Paraiso close to the Cerro del Diablo. Three crew members and 23 passengers were killed while 10 other occupants were rescued.
Probable cause:
The primary cause of the accident was a pilot error in that the pilot-in-command of the aircraft continued to fly VFR in adverse weather conditions on a route which was not authorized for an IFR flight by the Colombian Airways Manual.
A contributing cause was an error by other personnel in that the dispatcher improperly prepared the passenger and cargo manifests and the load and trim sheet and overloaded the aircraft by approximately 1,456 kg.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-Dl near San Vincente de Caguán: 29 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1965 at 1455 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HK-109
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Bogotá – Bucaramanga
MSN:
4753
YOM:
1942
Flight number:
AV676
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
29
Captain / Total flying hours:
6201
Captain / Total hours on type:
268.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4941
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4941
Aircraft flight hours:
32455
Circumstances:
Flight 676 was a scheduled domestic flight from Eldorado Airport, Bogotá to Bucaramanga. It departed Bogotá at 1358 hours, local time. At 1450 hours it reported over Cimitarra at 9 000 ft in VMC, estimating Bucaramanga at 1510 hours. This was the last communication from the flight. When information of arrival was not received at the airport of destination, a state of alert was declared at 1522 hours and an emergency was subsequently declared at 1540 hours. The wreckage of the aircraft was located on 24 March at an altitude of approximately 7 200 ft on the peak known as Pan de Azucar, 35 NM from Bucaramanga on a magnetic bearing of 45'. The accident occurred at approximately 1455 hours. All 29 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command continued to fly VFR in unfavourable meteorological conditions which necessitated operation by instrument flight rules.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in the Cordillera de Los Picachos National Park: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1963
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1082
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Vicente del Caguán – Bogotá
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed San Vicente del Caguán on a cargo flight to Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, carrying two passengers, three crew and a load consisting of 12 calves. As the airplane failed to arrive in Bogotá, SAR operations were conducted. A week later, the wreckage was found on the slope of Mt Mirador located in the Cordillera de Los Picachos National Park, State of Meta. All five occupants and all 12 animals were killed.