Country
code

Guatemala

Crash of a Quest Kodiak 100 in Guatemala City: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-SMT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Guatemala City – Cobán
MSN:
100-0080
YOM:
2012
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, was completing a cargo flight to Cobán. After takeoff from Guatemala City-La Aurora runway 02, while in initial climb, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in trees located in a garden along the 4th Avenue, in the Zone 9 district, approximately 980 metres from the end of runway 02. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the pilot was killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 in Guatemala City

Date & Time: Nov 21, 2015 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C6-TAK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Guatemala City
MSN:
31-228
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
191
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4735
Aircraft flight hours:
7600
Circumstances:
The crew departed Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport on a local training flight. Shortly after takeoff from runway 02, while in initial climb, the aircraft entered a right turn then lost height and crashed near an industrial building located about 900 metres from the runway 20 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. Both pilots escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The aircraft stalled at low height after takeoff due to a poor crew coordination about flight controls.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R (Panther) in Guatemala City: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 2010 at 0855 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
TG-LAP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Guatemala City - San Salvador
MSN:
31-8012043
YOM:
1980
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport at 0840LT on a flight to San Salvador-Ilopango Airport, carrying two passengers and one pilot. About 4-5 minutes after takeoff, while climbing in IMC conditions, the pilot reported technical problems with the instruments and was cleared for an immediate return. Shortly later, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a meat packing plant located in the approach path. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces as well as the building. All three occupants as well as one people in the factory were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following the failure of the attitude indicator while climbing in IMC conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E in Guatemala City: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 2001 at 0642 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-CFE
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Guatemala City – San Pedro Sula
MSN:
86 17 05
YOM:
1986
Flight number:
ATL870
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
2467
Aircraft flight cycles:
4001
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 01 at Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the twin engine aircraft rolled left and right then stalled and crashed beside the runway, about 550 metres from its end. The copilot and four passengers were injured while eight other occupants including the captain were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft stalled during initial climb because the passengers seats were not properly allocated, causing the center of gravity to be outside the permissible limit. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The Atlantic Airlines company, at the date of the accident, did not have sufficiently trained administrative and operational personnel for a safe operation.
- The poor allocation of the passengers inside the cabin affected lift, causing the aircraft to stall. Due to its low height, it was impossible to expect a stall recovery. This shows that the aircraft collapsed completely without move on the ground and being destroyed by the weight of the engines and their wings that were full of fuel.
- Lack of crew training, especially the copilot who was not rated on this type of aircraft. Thus, he was not able to assist the captain in an emergency situation but only reading the checklist.
- The engines were operating normal at the time of impact and they were running in normal takeoff conditions.
- No evidence of mechanical failure was found.
- The accident shows that the aircraft was operating normally, but that due to aerodynamic circumstances, it entered a stall and crashed on the ground abruptly and uncontrollably.

Crash of a Douglas DC-10-30 in Guatemala City: 18 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1999 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-GTDI
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Havana - Guatemala City
MSN:
46890
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
CU1216
Country:
Crew on board:
18
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
296
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Captain / Total flying hours:
16117
Captain / Total hours on type:
4872.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8115
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4156
Aircraft flight hours:
85760
Aircraft flight cycles:
27331
Circumstances:
Leased from AOM French Airlines, the aircraft was completing a charter flight (service CU1216) from Havana to Guatemala City on behalf of Cubana de Aviacion, carrying 18 crew members and 296 passengers who were mostly young Guatemalan citizens studying medicine in Cuba. After touchdown on runway 19, the crew started the braking procedure but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down an embankment and eventually crashed onto several houses located in the district of La Libertad. Both pilots, six other crew members, eight passengers and two people on the ground were killed. Also, 57 people were injured (among them 20 on the ground) while 261 other occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed too far down the runway with an excessive speed, between 1,220 and 1,320 metres past the runway threshold. Runway 29 is 2,767 metres long and it was calculated that the landing distance available was reduced by 1,450 to 1,500 metres. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure while the landing procedure was obviously missed,
- An indicated airspeed (IAS) of the aircraft greater than the specified one, with an increase due to elevation and temperature,
- The initial gradient of the track that requires a vertical speed descent, during leveling, May than usual,
- The flotation of the aircraft during the leveling phase (flare), facilitated by the use of the “CWS” mode of the autopilot (procedure approved by the aircraft flight manual), without corrective action by the Commander,
- A probable tailwind component over which there was no exact information provided by the control tower and that was not monitored by the crew, as it was not in their procedures nor did he feel the need to,
- The failure of the crew to immediately start the braking procedure after touchdown, probably caused by a false visual impression of the crew which was facilitated by their lack of prior experience for the approach and landing on runway 19 at the Aurora Airport with this type of aircraft,
- The runway surface condition,
- A tailwind component.
Final Report:

Crash of an IAI-1124 Westwind II near Guatemala City: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1997 at 0306 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YV-160CP
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Lima – Guatemala City
MSN:
211
YOM:
1977
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While descending to Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport by night, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 14,4 km short of runway. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew descended below the MDA for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander near Guatemala City: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1995 at 0014 LT
Registration:
N503U
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Miami - Guatemala City
MSN:
1121-083
YOM:
1966
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On December 14, 1995, about 0014 central standard time N503U, an Aero Commander 1121, operated by American Air Network crashed about 10 miles North of Guatemala City, Guatemala, while on a 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand, international, cargo flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot and co-pilot received fatal injuries. The flight had originated from Miami, Florida about 2200 the previous day. The crew executed three instrument approaches to the Guatemala City Airport, and reported to controllers on duty that they were low on fuel and could not proceed to their alternate airport.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-54F in Guatemala City: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1995 at 1135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N43UA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Miami – Guatemala City – Lima
MSN:
45677
YOM:
1964
Flight number:
OX705
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Miami-Intl Airport on a cargo flight to Lima with an intermediate stop in Guatemala City, carrying three crew members and various goods on behalf of Lineas Aéreas Mayas. After touchdown on runway 19 at Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, spoilers were deployed as well as reverse thrust on engine n°2 and 3. On a wet runway surface, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, went through a fence and down an embankment before crashing onto several houses. All three crew members were injured as well as seven people on the ground. Six other people on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed at an excessive speed of 135 knots in marginal weather conditions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The runway surface was wet,
- The braking action was poor,
- The crew failed to take corrective actions in time,
- Possible aquaplaning,
- The crew failed to use all available brake systems.

Crash of a Beechcraft B80 Queen Air near Palencia: 13 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1993 at 1647 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TG-ACP
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Flores – Guatemala City
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Flores Airport on a charter flight to Guatemala City, carrying 12 passengers and one pilot, among them three American citizens. The pilot started the descent to Guatemala City-La Aurora in good weather conditions despite some mountains were shrouded in clouds. On approach, the aircraft struck a mountain located near Palencia, about 20 km northeast of La Aurora Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 13 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Boeing 767-2S1ER in Guatemala City

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1993 at 1827 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N767TA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Salvador – Guatemala City – Los Angeles
MSN:
23494
YOM:
1986
Flight number:
TA510
Country:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
227
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
27558
Aircraft flight cycles:
14723
Circumstances:
The approach to Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport was completed in poor weather conditions with rain falls, a visibility of three miles below a 2,000 feet cloud ceiling. The crew was cleared to land on runway 19 with a tailwind component as the wind was from 030° at 8 knots. The aircraft landed 1,070 metres past the runway threshold (runway 19 is 2,763 metres long) at a speed that was 17 knots above Vref. The crew started the braking procedure and thrust reversers were deployed. At a distance of 300 metres from the runway end, the captain decided to veer off runway to the left. At a speed of 90 knots, the aircraft went through a perimeter fence, down an embankment and eventually came to rest into several houses. All 236 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Three people on the ground were slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Poor approach planning and landing configuration on part of the flying crew. The following findings were reported:
- The aircraft was approaching runway 19 above the glide,
- The speed upon landing was 17 knots above Vref,
- The runway surface was wet and the braking coefficient was limited,
- The aircraft landed too far down a wet runway, reducing the landing distance available,
- The landing was completed with a tailwind component,
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure.