Crash of a Boeing 727-200 in Tegucigalpa: 127 killed

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1989 at 0753 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N88705
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San José - Managua - Tegucigalpa - Houston
MSN:
19514
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
SH414
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
138
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
131
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Managua, the crew started a night descent to Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport. The standard approach to runway 01 consisted of a three-steps descent from the initial approach fix altitude of 7,500 feet. For unknown reasons, the crew failed to follow this procedure and started the descent prematurely and with a constant descent profile from a distance of 11 nm from the airport. This caused the aircraft to descend below the glide when, at an altitude of 4,000 feet, it struck the slope of Cerro de Hula (4,800 feet high) located 7,7 km short of runway 01. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and 15 people, including four crew members, were rescued while 131 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew failed to follow the approach procedures and initiated a premature descent, causing the aircraft to follow a wrong approach profile.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- The crew experience was insufficient,
- Negligences on part of the crew,
- Poor crew coordination,
- The crew failed to take appropriate actions when the GPWS alarm sounded,
- Lack of visibility caused by night and marginal weather conditions,
- Absence of visual reference points on the ground.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Mocorón: 52 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1986 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAH-556
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tegucigalpa-Durzana
MSN:
3194
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
Tegucigalpa – Mocorón
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
46
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
52
Circumstances:
On approach to Mocorón-Durzona Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to rain falls. Too low, the aircraft struck a hilly terrain and crashed few km from the airfield. All 52 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188A Electra in Guatemala City: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HR-SAW
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Tegucigalpa
MSN:
1018
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Prior to takeoff from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa, one of the engine failed as well as a generator. Passengers were disembarked and the captain decided to fly to Tegucigalpa on three engines only. Less than one minute after takeoff, while climbing, the pilot reported a critical situation and requested an immediate return. While making a last turn, the airplane lost height and crashed on a residential area located 1,500 meters from the airport, bursting into flames. All six occupants were killed and 38 people on ground were injured. The aircraft and several houses were destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a second generator failed during initial climb for unknown reasons. Due to insufficient power, hydraulic pressure dropped below minimums, causing the airspeed to drop and the aircraft to stall. The fact that the aircraft was not correctly trimmed was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation in Belize City

Date & Time: May 19, 1976
Registration:
N468C
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tegucigalpa – Miami
MSN:
4846
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying 100 km east of Belize City on a cargo flight from Tegucigalpa to Miami, the engine n°1 failed. The crew was cleared to divert to Belize City and few minutes later, the propeller detached from engine n°1 and struck the engine n°2. The propeller on engine n°2 was feathered and on approach, the crew was unable to lower the left main gear that remained partially retracted and could not be locked down. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go-around and to recycle the gear, without success. Eventually, the crew completed a landing with the left main gear partially retracted. Upon touchdown, the left wing touched the runway surface and the airplane veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. While all three crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the engine n°1 and loss of its propeller for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-10-DC Skymaster on Mt de la Muerte: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1974
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Tegucigalpa - Howard
MSN:
10815
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route from Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport to Howard AFB in Panama City, while cruising in limited visibility, the four engine airplane struck the slope of Mt de la Muerte located about 54 km southeast of San José, Costa Rica. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found. The wreckage was located on 16 May 1975 in an isolated and mountainous area.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Ford 4 in Tegucigalpa

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1934
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
NC7120
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4-AT-034
YOM:
1928
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport, while in initial climb, the three engine airplane collided with power lines, stalled and crashed in a ravine located about 300 metres past the runway end. An Italian passenger tried to escape and jumped out the cabin but fall in the ravine with his kid in his arms. The father was killed and his kid was injured. All 10 other occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is believed that the takeoff was initiated with a tailwind component and the left main wheel or the left wing impacted an electric power line during initial climb. Some debris such as an engine (third image) were found 83 years later by a depth of 65 feet.
Crew:
Eugene 'Smokey' Rhoads, pilot,
Mr. Holmberg, mechanic.

Source and photos via Amado Aguiluz Ferrari, Coronel José Alfredo San Martín and Carlos Rosa Mejía.