Tamarindo | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Following an uneventful flight from San José-Tobías Bolaños Airport, the crew started the descent to Tamarindo Airport runway 07. On short final, at a height of about 500 feet, control was lost and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area located 2 km short of runway. All eight occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a loss of control on short final following the combination of the following factors:
- An elevator cable probably broke away due to a progressive wear combined with a damaged pulley,
- The proximity of the terrain,
- The low speed of the aircraft,
- The lack of crew training in such situation,
- The loss of control of the aircraft occurred at a critical phase of the flight, initially caused by a mechanical failure and later to human factors.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter off Brasilito: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 2005 at 0945 LT

Type of aircraft:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Operator:

GG Aircraft

Registration:

N908PL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Tamarindo - Tamarindo

MSN:

908

YOM:

1994

Location:

Brasilito

Guanacaste (North Pacific)

Country:

Costa Rica

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine aircraft departed Tamarindo on a sightseeing flight with five passengers and one pilot on board. While flying at low height, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in the sea some 1,300 metres offshore. The aircraft sank by a depth of 50 metres and all six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan on Mt Arenal: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 2000 at 1210 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Operator:

Registration:

HP-1357APP

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

San Juan – La Fortuna – Tamarindo

MSN:

208-0709

YOM:

1998

Flight number:

RZ1644

Location:

Mt Arenal

Alajuela (Center-North)

Country:

Costa Rica

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2354

Copilot / Total flying hours:

350

Aircraft flight hours:

792

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed San Juan Airport at 1138LT on a flight to Tamarindo with an intermediate stop in La Fortuna on behalf of SANSA - Servicios Aéreos Nacionales. At La Fortuna Airport, a Japanese tourist was drop off and the aircraft took off at 1205LT. About five minutes after takeoff, while cruising in IMC conditions at an altitude of 5,380 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of the Arenal Volcano. The wreckage was found about 200 metres below the summit and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Karl Acevedo Neverman, pilot,
William Badilla Salazar, copilot.
Passengers:
Terry Pratt,
Silvia Rhissiner,
Catherine Shoep,
Steven Bohmer,
Helena Gutierrez-Bohmer,
Frank Consolazio,
Yudi Consolazio,
Cristopher Damia.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew continued under VFR mode in IMC conditions. The following findings were identified:
- The pilot's unsafe flying and failure to maintain adequate separation (vertical and horizontal) with mountainous terrain and not remain in VMC. Moreover, lack of timely corrective action by the crew allowed the aircraft to fly in a controlled manner and unnoticed into the ground.
- Loss of situational awareness and attention from the crew.
- Inadequate monitoring and enforcement by the pilot not flying.
- Lack of application or adherence to standard operating procedures established by SANSA.
- Using flight procedures not written or approved.
- Lack of culture regarding operational safety.