Honduras | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

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:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

44642

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

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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.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-50-DL near Guarita: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1987 at 2330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Aero Express - USA

Registration:

N49454

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

10177

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Circumstances:

At 0939LT, the airplane departed Guatemala City Airport, supposedly on a test flight to El Estor. After takeoff, the crew informed ATC he wanted to return to Guatemala City but this was the last radio contact. The airplane continued to the east and in the evening, while flying over the Honduran airspace without clearance, the crew failed to respond to ATC calls when the aircraft was shot down by a Honduran Air Force fighter. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed on a hilly and wooded terrain. All three occupants were killed. Honduran Authorities suspected the aircraft to perform an illegal smuggling flight. At the time of the accident, the aircraft registration was false: HK-303.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the pilot of a Honduran Air Force fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1986 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

FAH-556

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tegucigalpa-Durzana

MSN:

3194

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

Tegucigalpa – Mocorón

Location:

Country:

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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 C-130A Hercules off Trujillo: 21 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1985 at 0935 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

56-0501

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Howard – Trujillo – Comayagua

MSN:

3109

YOM:

1957

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Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight from Howard Airbase in Panama, the crew started the approach to Trujillo Airport in marginal weather conditions. While completing a left turn at low height with gear and flaps retracted, the aircraft struck the water surface with its left wingtip. Out of control, it crashed in the sea about 13 km from the airport. All 21 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was estimated to be 2,500 meters in haze with a 1,500 feet ceiling and a northerly wind gusting to 25 knots.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Útila

Date & Time: May 28, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HR-SAC

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

4232

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

On final approach to Útila Airport, the airplane was too low. It struck a concrete wall, lost its undercarriage and crash landed. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DL in Puerto Lempira: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1979

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

313

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

20839

YOM:

1944

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Puerto Lempira. Both pilots were killed while all passengers survived.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B near Brus Laguna

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1978

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Skyways International

Registration:

N6523C

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

43523/230

YOM:

1952

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While conducting a cargo flight, the crew encountered technical problems and attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in the Brus lagoon located near Brus Laguna Airfield. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Yoro: 25 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1977 at 0800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

301

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Yoro - Tegucigalpa

MSN:

6096

YOM:

1942

Location:

Yoro

Country:

Honduras

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During initial climb, the left engine failed and caught fire. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in a mountainous terrain located few km from the airport. 25 occupants were killed while 15 others were injured. All passengers were employees of local companies travelling with family members.

Probable cause:

Failure of the left engine during initial climb.