Crash of a Boeing 727-24C in Barranquilla: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1272
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bogotá - Barranquilla - Miami
MSN:
19525
YOM:
1967
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On approach to Barranquilla-Soledad Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. Unable to locate the runway in below weather minima, the captain decided to make a go-around. Few minutes later, while on a second attempt to land, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck tree tops 1,000 meters short of runway 04 threshold. The aircraft lost height and crashed in flames 300 meters short of runway. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all four occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The crew continued the approach below MDA after passing the decision height in below weather minimums.

Crash of a Douglas C-49J-DO in Ipiales

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1975 at 1715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1517E
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ipiales - Cali
MSN:
4997
YOM:
1942
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Ipiales-San Luis Airport in heavy rain falls, control was lost. The airplane veered off runway and came to rest. All 17 occupants escaped with minor injuries and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1975 at 1840 LT
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-654
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Saravena – Villavicencio – Bogotá
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
En route from Saravena to Villavicencio, the crew declared an emergency when control was lost and the airplane crashed on the slope of a mountain located in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants have been killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4 in Arauca

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-654
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
18391
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Arauca-Santiago Pérez Quiroz Airport, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on its nose for dozen meters before coming to rest. All eight occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the nose gear for unknown reason.

Ground accident of a Douglas DC-6F in Bogotá

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-756
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
43117
YOM:
1948
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Destroyed by fire at Bogotá-El Dorado Airport after being struck by an Aerocondor Lockheed L-188AF Electra registered HK-1976 that crashed on takeoff. The aircraft was empty at the time of the accident.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188AF Electra in Bogotá: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1976
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bogotá - Barranquilla
MSN:
1087
YOM:
1959
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff at Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine airplane adopted a nose up attitude. With a high angle of attack, the airplane stalled and banked right before crashing in flames onto the tarmac where it collided with a parked Aerocosta Colombia DC-6F registered HK-756. Both aircraft were destroyed by fire and while the DC-6 was empty, two of the four crew members on board the Electra were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong manoeuvre on part of the pilot-in-command after takeoff caused the aircraft to adopt a nose up attitude and stall. Poor flight preparation and lack of crew coordination were considered as contributing factors. The assumption that an engine lost power or failed after rotation was not ruled out, which may have influenced the loss of control.

Crash of a Douglas DC-4 near Tame: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1975 at 1935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1309
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Cúcuta – Tame
MSN:
10403
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport at 1830LT on a cargo flight to Tame. While descending to Tame-General Gabriel Vargas Santos Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with low clouds. At an altitude of 2,300 feet, the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located about 32 km northwest of Tame Airport. The wreckage was found two days later and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the crew initiated the descent prematurely. The lack of visibility caused by poor weather conditions was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Handley Page HPR-7 Dart Herald 101 in Bogotá

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
HK-715
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
151
YOM:
1961
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered technical problems with an engine that lost power. Unable to maintain the prescribed altitude, the crew attempted an emergency landing in a prairie when the aircraft crashed near the suburb of La Libertad, about 9 km southwest of the airport. All three occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on one engine for undetermined reason.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Serranía del Baudó: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-1044
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Turbo – Juradó – Medellín
MSN:
101
YOM:
1951
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane was completing a charter flight from Turbo to Medellín with an intermediate stop in Juradó. About 20 minutes after its departure from Juradó, the airplane disappeared and the pilot did not send any distress call. As the airplane failed to arrive in Medellín, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants was found. The wreckage was found 12 years later in an isolated and uninhabited area near Serranía del Baudó, about 100 km south from the route Juradó - Medellín.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Sardinata: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1975 at 0947 LT
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-663
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Ocaña – Cúcuta
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ocaña at 0923LT for an ETA in Cúcuta at 0955LT. This flight was operated for the first time. About eight minutes before ETA, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Sardinata. All three passengers were injured while all four crew members were killed.