Crash of a Beechcraft 65-B80 Queen Air in Tula: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1966 at 1340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 65 Queen Air
Operator:
Mexican Government
Registration:
XC-DAH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Guadalajara – Mexico City
Location:
Tula
Hidalgo
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft christened 'El Caminero' departed Guadalajara Airport at 1028LT bound for Mexico City, carrying five passengers and two crew members on behalf of the Ministry of Public Works. While approaching the city of Tula, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all seven occupants, among them the politician Fernando Espinosa Gutiérrez, engineer.

Crash of an Antonov AN-2 in Nuevo Gerona: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-2
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Ambulance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Nueva Gerona - Havana
Location:
Nueva Gerona
Isla de la Juventud
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Nueva Gerona Airport, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near a beach located about 6 km northeast of the city. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. The airplane was completing an ambulance flight to the capital city, carrying a child who should be transferred to hospital after being victim of a criminal act. The name of the operator and the registration remains unknown.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando in Mexico

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Aerocarga Especializada
Registration:
XA-LOS
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
32693
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mexico
All Mexico
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crash landed somewhere in Mexico. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Duchity: 30 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
N4662
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Les Cayes – Jérémie
Location:
Duchity
South
Country:
Haiti
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Few minutes after its takeoff from Les Cayes Airport, while climbing, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in Duchity. The wreckage was found 15 km northwest of Les Cayes Airport. Five passengers were seriously injured while 30 other occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland CV-2B Caribou off Roosevelt Roads NAS

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1965
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
Operator:
Registration:
62-4152
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Roosevelt Roads - Roosevelt Roads
MSN:
88
YOM:
1963
Location:
Roosevelt Roads NAS (Ceiba)
All Puerto Rico
Country:
Puerto Rico
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 into the sea some 13 km off Roosevelt Roads NAS while conducting a local training mission. The exact date of the occurrence (crashed somewhere in 1965) as well as the crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S off Xcalak

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1965 at 1800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft D18
Operator:
Jack Richards Aircraft Sales
Registration:
N45T
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
A-2
YOM:
1945
Location:
Xcalak
Quintana Roo
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4000
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Xcalak Airfield, while climbing, an engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea. The pilot was slightly injured and rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando off Panama City: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Aerolineas Carreras Transportes Aéreos - ACTA
Registration:
LV-HIJ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Panama City – Guayaquil – La Paz – Buenos Aires
MSN:
22346
YOM:
1945
Location:
Panama City
Panamá
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Panama City-Tocumen Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 40 km offshore. The aircraft was destroyed and all 7 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Martin B-26C-T Marauder in Mexico City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 12, 1965 at 1235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
XB-PEX
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
9022
YOM:
1943
Location:
Mexico City
Federal District of Mexico City
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Mexico City Airport for unknown reason. Three passengers were killed while five other occupants were injured. The airplane was owned by R. O'Farrell.

Crash of a Douglas C-54 Skymaster off Puerto Limón: 69 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1965 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
TC-48
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Howard - San Salvador
MSN:
35983
YOM:
1945
Location:
Puerto Limón
Limón (Caribbean Coast)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
69
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Buenos Aires to the US with intermediate stops at Howard AFB and San Salvador, carrying 60 cadets of the Argentinian Air Force and nine crew members. After his departure from Howard AFB, while overflying the Caribbean Sea along the Costa Rican coast, the captain reported to ATC that the engine number three was on fire and elected to divert to the nearest airport. This was the last radio contact with the crew as shortly later, the four engine aircraft crashed into the sea off Puerto Limón. Few life vest and debris were found floating on water and none of the 69 occupants survived.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidence, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Crash of a Boeing 707-121B on Mt La Soufrière: 30 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1965 at 0725 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 707
Operator:
Registration:
N708PA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Fort-de-France – Saint John’s – Christiansted – San Juan – New York
MSN:
17586
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
PA292
Location:
Mt Soufrière
All Montserrat
Country:
Montserrat
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Captain / Total flying hours:
15355
Captain / Total hours on type:
297.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
181
Aircraft flight hours:
19127
Circumstances:
PanAm Flight PA292 was a scheduled service from Fort-de-France, Martinique to New York with en route stops at Saint John's, Antigua, Christiansted, St Croix, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. An IFR flight plan had been filed for the 30-minute leg to Antigua. Cruising altitude would be FL165. The airplane christened 'Clipper Constitution' departed Fort-de-France's runway 27 at 0704LT. Cruising altitude was reached at 0709. The crew established radio contact with the Antigua controller at 0715. The controller cleared the flight to the Coolidge NDB beacon at 2 500 feet and told the crew to report at the beacon outbound leaving 2 500 feet or field in sight. At approximately 0725 the flight reported through FL40 with the field not yet in sight. At the same time the airplane was observed flying along the coast of the island of Montserrat in rain and below the clouds with landing gear down and flaps partially extended. Shortly afterwards the airplane struck a mountain at an elevation of 2 760 feet asl and 242 feet below the summit. The airplane was totally destroyed and all 30 occupants have been killed. Weather was poor at the time of the accident with thunderstorms activity, towering cumulus and heavy rain falls.
Probable cause:
The accident was the result of the aircraft descending below a safe height when its position had not been accurately established.
Final Report:
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