Date & Time: Mar 11, 1983 at 0700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-9
Operator:
Registration:
YV-67C
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Caracas - Barquisimeto
MSN:
47025
YOM:
1967
Country:
Venezuela
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
22
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
On approach to Barquisimeto Airport, the crew encountered foggy conditions with limited visibility. On short final, the airplane descended below the glide until it struck the ground 1,015 meters short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriages were torn off and the airplane slid on its belly until it came to rest on the runway threshold, broken in two. A crew member and 22 passengers were killed while 27 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who led the aircraft passing below the glide until impact with the ground. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Failure of the crew to initiate a go-around,
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Inadequate supervision of the flight,
- Lack of visibility due to fog.