Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Natagaima: 12 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-620
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Tres Esquinas
Location:
Natagaima
Tolima
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Struck a mountain near Natagaima, Tolima, while on a flight from Bogotá to Tres Esquinas. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were conducted. The wreckage was found eleven days later, on March 24. All 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina near Cáqueza: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1956 at 0705 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Operator:
Registration:
HK-133
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Medellín - Quibdó
MSN:
21998
YOM:
1943
Location:
Cáqueza
Cundinamarca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Santa Cecilia Airport, Bogotá at 0647LT bound for Medellín and Quibdó, carrying a crew of 5 and 11 passengers. Take-off was made at a time when the airport was closed due to poor visibility. While flying on instruments a few moments after take-off, the starboard engine failed. The aircraft continued its flight over the Sabana de Bogotá for approximately 23 minutes, following which, while flying on a magnetic heading of approximately 280 degrees, it crashed violently (at approximately 0705LT) against the Quetame Hill located near Cáqueza, about 30 km southeast of Bogotá, at an elevation of 9,170 feet. The flight engineer and one passenger were injured while 14 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was a complete failure of the starboard engine due to the breakdown of the lubricating system. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- Recklessness of the pilot in taking off from a closed airport while aware of the poor weather conditions prevailing throughout the Sabana, a circumstance which prevented returning to the airport of departure when complete breakdown of the starboard engine occurred,
- The 1,506 kg overload of the aircraft above the maximum gross operating weight for Bogotá according to the performance curves of the aircraft,
- The adverse weather conditions prevailing from the moment of take-off until the moment of the accident,
- An error of judgment on the part of the Operations and Maintenance Sections of the Company in failing to provide for a test flight of the aircraft after the turbine section had been changed and in finding aircraft HK-133 airworthy for the purpose of a scheduled flight with passengers under such conditions,
- The lack of competent air traffic and weather authorities at Santa Cecilia airport in a position to check civil aviation regulations and to prohibit take off from a closed airport,
- Faulty internal organization within AIDA which should have defined exactly the duties of the Maintenance Superintendent, of the Maintenance Chief and of the Dispatcher,
- The failure of the Company to have available a spare engine which would have avoided carrying out such delicate repair work in a hasty manner.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL near Madrid AFB

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1951
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HK-311
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Cali – Bogotá
MSN:
20183
YOM:
1944
Location:
Madrid AFB
Cundinamarca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route to Bogotá, an engine failed in flight, forcing the crew to divert to Madrid AFB. While descending, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field and the aircraft crash landed few km from the airbase. Both crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-DL near Bogotá: 30 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1948 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
C-310
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Barranquilla
MSN:
13807
YOM:
1943
Location:
Bogotá
Bogotá Capital District
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Less than ten minutes after its takeoff from Bogotá-Techo Airport, while climbing, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames on a mountain slope located about 40 km west of Bogotá. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 30 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the loss of control was caused by an in flight fire, likely due to the accidental detonation of pyrotechnics goods illegally carried by one or more passengers and stored in one or more luggage.

Crash of a Lockheed C-60A-5-LO LodeStar in Colombia: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-60 LodeStar
Operator:
Registration:
C-202
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogota – Bucaramanga
Location:
Colombia
All Colombia
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed into a mountain while on a flight from Bogota to Bucaramanga. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-53B-DO near Puerto Araujo: 17 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
C-108
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogota – Barrancabermeja
MSN:
4829
YOM:
1941
Location:
Puerto Araujo
Santander
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
17
Circumstances:
Crashed in a mountainous area located near Puerto Araujo. The wreckage was found a week later. All 17 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss BT-32 Condor II near Villavicencio

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss T-32 Condor II
Operator:
Registration:
653
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mitú – Bogotá
MSN:
56
YOM:
1934
Location:
Villavicencio
Meta
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The floatplane caught fire in flight, forcing the pilot to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in a pasture located 26 km southeast of Villavicencio, bursting into flames. All 14 occupants escaped unhurt while the airplane was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
In flight fire for unknown reason.

Crash of a Ford 5 in Palanquero: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Ford 5
Operator:
Registration:
642
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Palanquero – Bogotá
MSN:
5-AT-044
YOM:
1929
Location:
Palanquero
Caldas
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The three engine airplane crashed while taking off from Palanquero Airport. The copilot was killed and all 14 other occupants were rescued, among them some were injured.
Crew:
Cpt Héctor Arango, pilot,
Lt Alférez Antonio Perilla Morales, copilot, †
2nd Lt Braulio Carrasco, mechanic.
Passengers:
Francisco Zapata,
Enrique Barrera,
Luis E. Sarmiento,
Dr. Luis E. Arambula,
Gabriel Aya,
Humberto Angel,
Rafael Blanco,
Saúl Rojas,
Telmo Triana,
Pedro Vicente Vargas,
Joaquín Izquierdo,
Frollán Mahecha.

Crash of a Junkers K.43do near Guaduas: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1941 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Junkers W.34
Operator:
Registration:
900
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Topographic
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá - Bogotá
MSN:
2571
YOM:
1928
Location:
Guaduas
Cundinamarca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Bogotá on a topographic mission on behalf of the Instituto Geográfico Militar y Catastral which became Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi in 1950. While flying in stormy weather, the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located 5 km from Guaduas. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Stinson SR-9 Reliant in Felidia: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1937
Type of aircraft:
Stinson SR-9 Reliant
Operator:
Cuban Air Force - Cuerpo de Aviación del Ejército de Cuba (1918-1952)
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogotá – Panama City
Location:
Felidia
Valle del Cauca
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While flying in foggy conditions, the aircraft struck a mountain and crashed near Felidia, west of Cali. All three occupants were killed, among them a journalist. Two other similar aircrafts crashed at the same time in similar circumstances.
Subscribe to Bogotá