Country
Cuba

Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader off Playa Girón: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Registration:
903
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
1742
Location:
Playa Girón
Matanzas
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shot down by a US ship during the Bay of Pigs invasion. The airplane crashed into the sea off Playa Girón, killing all four crew members.
Probable cause:
Shot down by US fire.

Crash of a Douglas TB-26B Invader near Playa Girón: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Registration:
935
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
18602
YOM:
1943
Location:
Playa Girón
Matanzas
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shot down by a US ship during the Bay of Pigs invasion. The airplane crash landed near Playa Girón. The pilot was injured while the navigator was killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by US fire.

Crash of a Douglas B-26B Invader off Dry Tortugas: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
Dry Tortugas
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shot down by Cuban fire and crashed into the sea off Dry Tortugas Islands, Florida. Both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Cuban fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Havana: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Havana
La Habana
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Just after takeoff from Havana-Ciudad Libertad Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames onto a hangar. All three crew members and one person in the hangar were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-53D-DO off Florida: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1960 at 1410 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Registration:
209
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Havana – Miami
MSN:
11643
YOM:
1943
Location:
Marathon
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a positioning flight from Havana to Miami for the purpose of maintenance, the propeller to be adjusted. While cruising along the Keys, a distress call was received. The airplane apparently crashed into the Strait of Florida, between Key West and Marathon. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader in Camagüey: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Camagüey - Camagüey
Location:
Camagüey
Camagüey
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames onto the runway. The pilot (Lt Luis De Vale) was killed while both other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control shortly after rotation due to an engine failure.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560 in Guantánamo Bay

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 560
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Registration:
128
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Guantánamo Bay NAS
Guantánamo
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Guantánamo Bay. Used by the Transport Squadron.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina in Preston: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Preston
Holguín
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed and caught fire while landing at Preston, Cuba. Both pilots and three passengers were killed. Four other occupants were injured.
Crew:
Ricardo Longueira Santana, pilot,
José Antonio Alemán Morgado, copilot.

Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader in Colombia: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-26 Invader
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba (1952-1961)
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Colombia
Las Tunas
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from a military camp based at Colombia, the airplane stalled and crashed in a field, killing both pilots.
Crew:
Lt B. R. Sardinãs,
Lt C. G. Acosta.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the accident was caused by an engine failure.
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