Country
Costa Rica
code

San José (Central Valley)

Crash of a Fairchild Pilgrim 100A on Mt Cedral: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1940 at 1227 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild Pilgrim 100A
Operator:
Registration:
TI-9
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Parrita – San José
MSN:
6602
YOM:
1931
Location:
Mt Cedral
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Parrita on a regular schedule service to San José, carrying four passengers and two crew members. While descending to San José-La Sabana Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with limited visibility due to clouds. Due to a strong west wind, the airplane slightly deviated from the approach path when it contacted trees and crashed in a wooded area located on the slope of Mt Cedral (1,600 metres high) located about 10 km southwest of La Sabana Airport. The wreckage was found the following day about 30 metres below the summit. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Enrique Malek Lazaro, pilot
Emiliano Leal Jimenez.
Passengers:
Marcial Sequeira Padilla,
Ricardo Mora Vargas,
Jose Joaquín Barrantes Elizondo,
Rafael González Villalta.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain while descending in limited visibility after it deviated from the prescribed approach route due to a strong west wind.

Crash of a Ford 5 in San José: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
TI-33
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
5-AT-070
YOM:
1929
Location:
San José-La Sabana
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Almost immediately after takeoff from La Sabana, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed. Both passengers were killed and the pilot, Charles Herst, was injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of an airplane in Uruca

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Unknown
Operator:
Registration:
TI-31
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Uruca
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure while taking off from a farm field located in Uruca and crashed. All three occupants escaped unarmed while the airplane (type unknown) was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Kenneth Poe, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure at takeoff.

Crash of a Travel Air 6000 in the Cerro Las Vueltas: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Travel Air 6000
Operator:
Registration:
TI-3
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
San José – San Isidro de El General
Location:
Cerro Las Vueltas
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane impacted trees and crashed in an isolated area located in the Cerro Las Vueltas while completing a flight from San José to San Isidro de El General. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants was found. The wreckage was found in 1941.
Crew:
Carlos Gregorio Stanton, pilot.

Crash of a Curtiss Robin C-1 in San José

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1936
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss Robin
Operator:
EDAC
Registration:
TI-4
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
La Cuesta – La Sabana
MSN:
608
Location:
San José-La Sabana
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Approaching La Sabana Airport on a flight from La Cuesta, the engine failed. The pilot made a forced landing in Pavas, some 3 km west of the airfield. The airplane named 'Espíritu Tico' was damaged beyond repair and all three occupants escaped unhurt.
Crew:
Luis Parens Steffens, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 504K in San José

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1929
Type of aircraft:
Avro 504
Operator:
Registration:
Juan Santamaría
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
San José-La Sabana
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot encountered engine trouble and the airplane lost height, collided with a tree and crashed west of La Sabana Airport. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, Tobías Bolaños, was injured.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble in flight.

Crash of a Loening C2-C Air Yacht in San José

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1928
Type of aircraft:
Loening C-2 Air Yacht
Operator:
Registration:
NC9713
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San José - Panama City
MSN:
214
YOM:
1928
Location:
San José
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a survey mission over the Canal zone in Panama and departed San José Airport with two passengers and two crew members, a mechanic and a pilot. As the aircraft was too heavy, one passenger was asked to leave and part of the mail was offloaded as well. On the second attempt to takeoff, the airplane lifted off but was caught by downdrafts, struck trees and crashed. All four occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Caught by downdrafts during takeoff.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4B in San José: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1925
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
22-1069
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
San José-La Sabana
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After takeoff from La Sabana Airport, the engine failed. The airplane lost height, collided with power cables and crashed, bursting into flames. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Arthur C. Watson,
Otto Hansen.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Martin NBS-1 in San José: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 4, 1925
Type of aircraft:
Martin NBS-1 (MB-2)
Operator:
Registration:
AS-68466
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
San José-La Sabana
San José (Central Valley)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed while taking off from La Sabana Airport and destroyed. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Levi Beerly, pilot +1.
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