Douglas DC-6 | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Some aircraft operated by the Colombian Air Force were requisitioned to carry out regular schedule flights on behalf of Avianca because their pilots were striking. Few minutes after takeoff from Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo Airport, the pilot declared an emergency after the engine n°3 caught fire. While returning, fire spread to the right wing and the airplane went out of control and crashed in a jungle located 32 km north of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 80 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the n°3 engine for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B near Fitou: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1985

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

F-ZBAE

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Marseille - Perpignan

MSN:

43834

YOM:

1953

Flight number:

Pélican 63

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft departed Marseille-Marignane on a special flight to Perpignan-Rivesaltes Airport, carrying two passengers and a crew of three under callsign Pélican 63. While descending to Perpignan Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with fog and rain showers. In limited visibility, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Fitou, about 20 km north of Perpignan Airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all five occupants were killed. The passengers were one engineer and one Colonel from the French Army while the captain, aged 64, was the deputy of the Chief of Operations of the Marseille-Marignane Airbase. They were flying to Perpignan-Rivesaltes Airport to proceed to a technical visit of the supply center.

Ground explosion of a Douglas DC-6BF in San Miguel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1984

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Atlantida Linea Aérea Sudamericana - ALAS

Registration:

YS-37C

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

44255

YOM:

1954

Location:

San Miguel

Country:

Salvador

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After touchdown at San Miguel Airport, the four engine airplane rolled onto a mine, exploded and came to rest. A passenger was killed and few others were injured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 in Monterrubio: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1983

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances shortly after takeoff from Monterrubio while on an illegal contraband flight. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed. A load of 30,000 lbs of marijuana was found among the debris.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6BF near Subachoque: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1982

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1706

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

44168

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft was approaching Bogotá-El Dorado Airport when it crashed in a mountainous terrain located about 18 km north of the airport. The wreckage was found on Mt Tablazo near Subachoque. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A in Castries: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1981

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

N3486F

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Castries - Miami

MSN:

43683

YOM:

1953

Location:

Castries-George F. L. Charles (Vigie)

All Saint Lucia

Country:

Saint Lucia

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff, while climbing, the crew informed ATC about an engine failure and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. The airplane went out of control and crashed near the airport, bursting into flames. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during climbout for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A off Alice Town: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

N844TA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Alice Town - Miami

MSN:

44421

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Alice Town, Bimini, the four engine airplane lost height and crashed into the sea. All four occupants were killed. It is believed that the crew was engaged in a drug smuggling flight.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined but an engine failure was suspected.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6BF in Panama City

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1980

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

YN-BVI

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

44117/461

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon touchdown at Panama City-Tocumen Airport, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on its nose for several dozen meters before coming to rest on runway. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Nose gear collapsed on landing for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6B off Port-au-Prince: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1980 at 1900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

JMG

Registration:

N9018N

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Cockburn Harbour - Port-au-Prince

MSN:

44425/476

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

34000

Captain / Total hours on type:

10000.00

Circumstances:

While approaching Port-au-Prince on a flight from Cockburn Harbour, South Caicos, the crew reported an engine failure. Few minutes later, all communications systems failed. The airplane descended and eventually crashed into the sea few km off shore. Rescuers were dispatched on scene and one pilot was found alive while three other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew was forced to shut down one engine due to oil exhaustion. Later, two other engines should be shut down as well for the same reasons. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot-in-command attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Oil exhaustion, engine lubrication system,
- Improper in-flight decisions,
- Communications and navigation equipment: transmitters and/or receivers failure,
- Forced landing off airport on water,
- High oil consumption,
- No oil,
- One engine shut down en route, diverted when two more engines shut down.

Final Report: