Crash of a GAF Nomad N.24 in La Ceiba

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1997
Type of aircraft:
GAF Nomad N.24
Operator:
Registration:
HR-AQY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
La Ceiba – Roatán
MSN:
38
YOM:
1977
Location:
La Ceiba-Goloson
Atlántida
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from La Ceiba-Goloson Airport, while climbing, the aircraft collided with a bird that struck the right engine. The crew decided to return to La Ceiba for an emergency landing when the right engine caught fire and detached. On final, the aircraft went out of control and crashed on a soccer field. All 12 occupants were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine that detached in flight following a bird strike. It is believed that the bird was probably a buzzard or a vulture.

Crash of a GAF Nomad N.24 in La Ceiba

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1997
Type of aircraft:
GAF Nomad N.24
Operator:
Registration:
N244E
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
119
YOM:
1981
Location:
La Ceiba-Goloson
Atlántida
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at La Ceiba-Goloson Airport, the twin engine aircraft struck a rut in the ground. The crew heard a loud bang when the rotation was completed shortly later. During initial climb, the crew informed ATC about the situation and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. On touchdown, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft slid on its nose for few dozen metres before coming to rest. All 11 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Tegucigalpa: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1997
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
88-4408
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Milwaukee – Tegucigalpa – Howard AFB
MSN:
5161
YOM:
1989
Location:
Tegucigalpa-Toncontin
Francisco Morazán
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Milwaukee-General Billy Mitchell Airport on a flight to Howard AFB, Panama City, with an intermediate stop in Tegucigalpa, carrying 10 crew members and a load consisting of foods and electronics. At Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport, the aircraft landed 2,000 feet past the runway threshold in a 50° flaps down configuration. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, it overran and crashed on a road and a bridge, bursting into flames. Three crew members were killed and seven others were injured.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E in La Ceiba

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1997 at 0700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
HR-IAS
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
La Ceiba - Puerto Lempira
MSN:
86 16 08
YOM:
1986
Location:
La Ceiba-Goloson
Atlántida
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff from runway 06, while in initial climb, the crew raised the landing gear and reduced the engine power. The aircraft stalled and sank back on the runway, slid for about 450 metres and came to rest. All 21 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the crew to reduce power shortly after rotation as it is specified in the flight manual on this model that the engine power cannot be reduced below the minimum altitude of 1,500 feet.

Crash of a Beechcraft A90 King Air in Palacios

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1992
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 90 King Air
Operator:
Registration:
HR-IAG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
La Ceiba - Palacios
Location:
Palacios
Gracias a Dios
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from La Ceiba, the pilot initiated the approach to Palacios Airport. On final, the aircraft was too high and descended too fast. It landed too far down the grassy runway, about two third of its length, and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and collided with a building located 65 metres further. All five occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the pilot who landed too far down the runway after the aircraft approached too high and at an excessive speed. The pilot failed to initiate a go-around procedure.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 off Utila

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1990
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
HR-ALH
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
La Ceiba – Útila
MSN:
180
YOM:
1968
Location:
Útila
Islas de la Bahía
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Útila Airport runway 25, the crew was blinded by the low sun position and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. The aircraft struck the water surface and crashed in the sea about 50 meters offshore and less than 300 meters short of runway 25 threshold. All 20 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188CF Electra in Tegucigalpa: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1990
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-188 Electra
Operator:
Registration:
HR-TNL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San Pedro Sula - Tegucigalpa
MSN:
1134
YOM:
1960
Location:
Tegucigalpa-Toncontin
Francisco Morazán
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport in poor weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck the south slope of Cerro de Hula (1,600 meters high) located 14 km from runway 01 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in Roatan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1990 at 0620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HR-SAZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Guanaja - Roatán - San Pedro Sula
MSN:
19495
YOM:
1944
Location:
Roatán
Islas de la Bahía
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Guanaja to San Pedro Sula with an intermediate stop in Roatán. After landing, the crew encountered strong crosswinds when the aircraft veered off runway and crashed in the Caribbean Sea. A crew member and six passengers were killed while 25 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after touchdown due to strong crosswinds.

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

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1989 at 0753 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 727-200
Operator:
Registration:
N88705
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San José - Managua - Tegucigalpa - Houston
MSN:
19514
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
SH414
Location:
Tegucigalpa-Toncontin
Francisco Morazán
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
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 Douglas DC-6 near Tegucigalpa: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Albiacion Circulo General
Registration:
HR-AKZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
44642
YOM:
1955
Location:
Tegucigalpa
Francisco Morazán
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While approaching Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft collided with a mountain about 27 km from the Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed. They were completing a humanitarian mission on behalf of USAid.
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