Region
South America

Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader near Madrid AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1958 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-2512
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Palanquero – Madrid – Apiay
MSN:
27437
YOM:
1944
Location:
Madrid AFB
Cundinamarca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Palanquero Airport at 0730LT. While approaching Madrid AFB near Bogotá, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all three crew members.

Crash of a Budd RB-1 Conestoga in Colombia

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Budd RB-1 Conestoga
Operator:
Aero Llanos
Registration:
HK-344X
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
MSN:
007
YOM:
1944
Location:
Colombia
All Colombia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed following an engine explosion in flight. Crew fate and exact date unknown.
Probable cause:
Engine explosion in flight.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando in Guarne: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1957 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
HK-513
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bogotá – Medellín
MSN:
33210
YOM:
1945
Location:
Guarne
Antioquia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was approaching Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in Guarne, about 17 km northeast of the airfield. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near Santo Domingo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1957 at 0420 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
HK-181
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Puerto Berrío – Medellín
MSN:
744
YOM:
1954
Location:
Santo Domingo
Antioquia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft landed at Puerto Berrío at 0346LT and took off again for Medellín at 0355LT. It carried a pilot and eight passengers. When it had covered half of the route and while at the highest point along the route, about 8 km from Santo Domingo, the aircraft crashed, at approximately 0420LT, into one of the hills. One passenger was killed instantly, another died later at Medellín, and the others suffered minor injuries.
Probable cause:
After careful study of the present investigation referring to the accident involving aircraft HK-181 owned by Aerotaxi Servicios Aéreos on the territory of the municipality of Santo Domingo ( Antioquia) which occurred on 4 June 1957, it is found that the cause of the accident was pilot error. This error consisted in the pilot's having flown too low under poor weather conditions and in his having engaged his aircraft in a canyon with no outlet. He was thus forced to make an emergency landing on unsuitable terrain. Unfavourable weather conditions being an extenuating circumstance, Civil Aeronautics rules that the pilot is to pay a penalty fine of five hundred pesos ($500.00) into the National Treasury in view of his responsibility for this accident which resulted in two deaths, and in the destruction of the aircraft. Aerotaxi Servicios Aéreos shall submit the pilot to severe checking before allowing him to fly again as a taxi pilot.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Natagaima: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-620
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Tres Esquinas
Location:
Natagaima
Tolima
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Struck a mountain near Natagaima, Tolima, while on a flight from Bogotá to Tres Esquinas. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted. The wreckage was found eleven days later, on March 24. All 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Tuluá: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1957 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HK-155
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Condoto – Buenaventura – Cali
MSN:
4338
YOM:
1942
Location:
Tuluá
Valle del Cauca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
HK-155 departed Cali for Condoto at 0827LT. It reported taking-off from Condoto on the return flight at 0950LT and advised that it would fly via Buenaventura. Shortly after take-off, HK-155 changed from Condoto Tower frequency to the Cali aeronautical telecommunications frequency and reported at 0958 that it had departed Condoto at 0950 with a load of 975 kg including 12 passengers and that it was proceeding to Cali via Buenaventura. No record could be found of a later call from the aircraft on any of the frequencies available. The flight from Condoto to Cali would normally take about 50 to 55 minutes. At 1037, Cali called HK-155 but received no reply. The Cali route frequencies log indicates at 1107 that Bogota: ATC had declared an alert with regard to HK-155. The wreckage was found on the slope of a wooded mountain located 32 km west of Tuluá. All 15 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the probable cause of the accident was an instrument flight at inadequate altitude. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The Buenaventura route was not followed,
- Instrument flight which precluded visual means of checking the aircraft's position,
- The pilot did not consider it necessary to check his position by means of El Paso radio beacon,
- Over-confidence on the part of the pilot regarding his knowledge of the route,
- Flight outside the established route or airway
- Unfavorable weather conditions.
As the aircraft crashed on the direct route Condoto - Cali and the said route had not been authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Department, it can be logically assumed that the pilot is solely responsible for this accident since he flew, on instruments, a route which had not been authorized, even for visual flights.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Guachiral: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1957
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-112
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
523
YOM:
1953
Location:
Guachiral
Meta
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach to Guachiral in unknown circumstances. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire and all seven occupants have been killed, among them Colonel Gustavo Sierra Ochoa, governor of Antioquia.
Crew:
Lt Jairo Ruiz.
Passengers:
Col Gustavo Sierra Ochoa 5.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Cáqueza: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1956 at 0705 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
HK-133
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Medellín - Quibdó
MSN:
21998
YOM:
1943
Location:
Cáqueza
Cundinamarca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Santa Cecilia Airport, Bogotá at 0647LT bound for Medellín and Quibdó, carrying a crew of 5 and 11 passengers. Take-off was made at a time when the airport was closed due to poor visibility. While flying on instruments a few moments after take-off, the starboard engine failed. The aircraft continued its flight over the Sabana de Bogotá for approximately 23 minutes, following which, while flying on a magnetic heading of approximately 280 degrees, it crashed violently (at approximately 0705LT) against the Quetame Hill located near Cáqueza, about 30 km southeast of Bogotá, at an elevation of 9,170 feet. The flight engineer and one passenger were injured while 14 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was a complete failure of the starboard engine due to the breakdown of the lubricating system. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Recklessness of the pilot in taking off from a closed airport while aware of the poor weather conditions prevailing throughout the Sabana, a circumstance which prevented returning to the airport of departure when complete breakdown of the starboard engine occurred,
- The 1,506 kg overload of the aircraft above the maximum gross operating weight for Bogotá according to the performance curves of the aircraft,
- The adverse weather conditions prevailing from the moment of take-off until the moment of the accident,
- An error of judgment on the part of the Operations and Maintenance Sections of the Company in failing to provide for a test flight of the aircraft after the turbine section had been changed and in finding aircraft HK-133 airworthy for the purpose of a scheduled flight with passengers under such conditions,
- The lack of competent air traffic and weather authorities at Santa Cecilia airport in a position to check civil aviation regulations and to prohibit take off from a closed airport,
- Faulty internal organization within AIDA which should have defined exactly the duties of the Maintenance Superintendent, of the Maintenance Chief and of the Dispatcher,
- The failure of the Company to have available a spare engine which would have avoided carrying out such delicate repair work in a hasty manner.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-49G-DO on Mt El Rucio: 36 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1956 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-49 (DC-3)
Operator:
Aerolineas del Pacifico - ARPA
Registration:
HK-385
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Buenaventura – Cali
MSN:
1971
YOM:
1937
Location:
Mt El Rucio
Huíla
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
The aircraft took off from Buenaventura at 1630LT on a return flight to el Guavito aerodrome, Cali. Expected time of arrival at Cali was 1700 hours. On board the aircraft were the pilot, a steward (who held no licence to act as such), a flight engineer (who on this occasion was acting as copilot), and 33 passengers. When 1700 hours passed with no sign of the aircraft's arriving at Cali, a search was initiated. The wreckage was located the same evening on the side of El Rucio mountain. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 36 occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The most probable cause of the accident was a flight on instruments at an excessively low altitude for the route. A lack of discipline on the part of the pilot was considered as a contributing factor.
Final Report:
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