Country
Ecuador
code

Loja

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Loja: 14 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1984
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
FAE446
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Loja - Zumba
MSN:
446
YOM:
1975
Location:
Loja
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Loja Airport, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed. All 14 occupants were killed. The aircraft had a dual registration: civil HC-BCG and military FAE446.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King on Mt Huayra Pungo: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1981 at 1400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
Registration:
FAE001A
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Quito - Macará
MSN:
BB-723
YOM:
1980
Location:
Mt Huayra Pungo
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport around noon on a flight to Macará, carrying six passengers and three crew members, among them Jaime Roldós Aguilera, President of the Republic of Ecuador who was making an official visit of the south region of Ecuador. While cruising at an altitude of 7,700 feet in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Huayra Pungo located 40 km north of Macará. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all nine occupants were killed. The airplane had dual registration HC-BHG and FAE001A.
Crew:
Col Marco Andrade Buitrón, pilot,
Lt Galo Romo Altamirano, copilot,
María Soledad Zapata, stewardess.
Passengers:
Mr. Jaime Roldós Aguilera, President of the Republic of Ecuador,
Mrs. Martha Bucaram, President's spouse,
Mr. Marco Aurelio Subía Martinez, Minister of Defense,
Mrs. Gladys Irlanda Sarango; Mr. Martinez's spouse,
Mr. Armando Arsenio Navarrete,
Col Héctor Alfredo Torres Velázques.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as the airplane was not equipped with any recording equipment. Nevertheless, Ecuadorian Air Force attributed the accident to a controlled flight into terrain caused by a navigational error on part of the flying crew while flying in limited visibility due to marginal weather conditions.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Macara: 18 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1981 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
FAE457
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Quito - Macará
MSN:
457
YOM:
1975
Location:
Macará
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Quito to Macará, carrying members of the Ecuadorian government, Army Officers and journalists who were flying to the south of the country, taking part to the next official visit of the President of the Republic of Ecuador Jaime Roldós Aguilera. While descending to Macará, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and rain showers. Too low, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and crashed few km from Macará. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 18 occupants were killed. The airplane had a dual registration FAE457 and HC-BAX.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 745D Viscount in Catamayo

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1980 at 0755 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Aerolineas Condor
Registration:
HC-BHB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
205
YOM:
1956
Location:
Catamayo (ex Camilo Ponce Enríquez)
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on final approach to Catamayo-Camilo Ponce Enríquez Airport following an uneventful cargo flight, the crew encountered a limited visibility due to smoke coming from local sugar cane field burns. Facing the sun (sunrise), the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the ground three meters short of runway threshold. On impact, the right main gear was torn off and the airplane slid on its right wing for 200 meters before coming to rest onto the runway with both right engines n°3 and 4 partially torn off. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Too low approach in limited visibility caused by local fumed and sunrise.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 in Loja: 16 killed

Date & Time: Nov 19, 1979
Type of aircraft:
IAI Arava 201
Operator:
Registration:
T-201
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
11
YOM:
1974
Location:
Loja
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after takeoff from Loja Airport for unknown reasons. All 16 occupants were killed, among them General Rafael Rodrígues Palacios aged 53, Minister of Defense, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter.

Crash of an Avro 748-246-22A near Loja: 34 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1976 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
FAE683
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Loja - Guayaquil
MSN:
1683
YOM:
1970
Location:
Loja
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Circumstances:
Ten minutes after takeoff from Loja Airport, while cruising over mountains terrain at an altitude of 10,000 feet in good weather conditions, the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed on the mountain. Eight passengers were seriously injured while 34 other occupants were killed. The airplane had a dual registration FAE683 and HC-AUE.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of altitude and the subsequent collision with ground was the consequence of orographic currents encountered over the mountainous area.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt Guachanama: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Loja - Guayaquil
Location:
Mt Guachanama
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Loja on an airlift to Guayaquil, carrying civilians (doctors) and various equipments following the recent earthquake. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 meters et marginal weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Guachanama located in the region of Celica. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Catamayo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FAE503
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Catamayo (ex Camilo Ponce Enríquez)
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On approach to Catamayo Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames, killing both pilots, Col Ernesto Delgado Mosquera and Cpt Galo Torres Moreano.
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