Bucaramanga

Survivors:

Site:

Dornier DO.28D Skyservant

Schedule:

Bucaramanga – Málaga

MSN:

777

YOM:

1981

Flight number:

ATK7655

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3820

Captain / Total hours on type:

392.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

966

Copilot / Total hours on type:

599

Aircraft flight hours:

34074

Aircraft flight cycles:

52799

Circumstances:

While descending to Málaga Airport, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with low clouds and strong winds. The aircraft deviated from the prescribed approach path and entered a valley when the crew lost his orientation in clouds. At an altitude of 8,100 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt La Carbonera shrouded in clouds. All five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain after the crew continued the descent under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Dornier DO.28D-2 Skyservant in San Vicente de Chucurí

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1996 at 1230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Transportes Aéreos de Santander

Registration:

HK-4044

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bucaramanga – San Vicente de Chucurí

MSN:

4154

YOM:

1972

Location:

San Vicente de Chucurí

Santander

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1123

Aircraft flight hours:

3922

Circumstances:

On final approach to San Vicente de Chucurí Airport, the twin engine aircraft struck an earth mound located few metres short of runway threshold. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in trees. All nine occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Investigations were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando on Mt Páramo de Laura: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1978 at 1515 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1350

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bucaramanga - Leticia - La Paz

MSN:

22557

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in VFR mode in adverse weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Páramo de Laura (3,543 meters high) located south of Sogamoso, Boyacá. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 18 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain caused by the combination of the following (contributing) factors:
- Strong winds caused the airplane to be off course,
- The crew was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions,
- Limited visibility,
- The airplane was not airworthy as two VOR receivers were missing and one ADF was unserviceable,
- There were 15 passengers on board while the aircraft was configured for six passengers only.

Crash of a Vickers 785D Viscount near Cúcuta: 44 killed

Date & Time: Jun 8, 1974 at 1427 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Viscount

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1058

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Schedule:

Bogotá – Bucaramanga – Cúcuta

MSN:

380

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

TAO514

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport in good weather conditions at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the four engine airplane went out of control and crashed on the slope of Mt San Isidro located near the Colombia - Venezuela border. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 44 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Aircraft structure factor - tail unit, involving the failure in flight of the tailplane spar, so that the left tailplane and elevator became detached and control of the aircraft was lost. An examination of the aircraft wreckage revealed that the upper flange of the left tailplane spar had sustained a fatigue fracture, two distinct areas being visible, namely the area of progressive fatigue and the area of instantaneous failure. This evidence obviously explained the accident, since the already weakened structure was not able to withstand the loads imposed when the aircraft entered an area of turbulence. Laboratory tests subsequently carried out confirmed the failure.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560A in Málaga: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Taxi Aéreo Sabanero

Registration:

HK-1079

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bucaramanga – Málaga

MSN:

560-292

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Málaga Airport on a taxi flight from Bucaramanga. A passenger survived while six other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Bucaramanga: 15 killed

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1965

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

HK-118

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Bogotá – Bucaramanga

MSN:

6182

YOM:

1942

Flight number:

AV508

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport from the north, the Dakota collided with a private Piper PA-18A Super Cub registered HK-922P. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed near the Las Terrazas residential area. All 15 occupants on board the DC-3 and the pilot of the PA-18 were killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the collision remains unclear.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Barrancabermeja: 24 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1962 at 1640 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-437

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bucaramanga – Barrancabermeja

MSN:

4697

YOM:

1942

Flight number:

TX209

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7000

Captain / Total hours on type:

2566.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1064

Copilot / Total hours on type:

331

Circumstances:

Flight 209 was a scheduled public transport flight from Bucaramanga to Barrancabermeja and was to return the same evening. The aircraft departed Bucaramanga at 1628 hoiurs and six minutes later the pilot reported crossing the Palonegro beacon and that the flight was proceeding normally. It was heading west at 4,500 feet and estimated its time of arrival at Barrancabermeja as 1650 hours. This was the last and only report received from the aircraft. The aircraft crashed sometime between 1640 and 1730 hours local time, in daylight. The aircraft crashed in a wooded area located 48 km east of Barrancabermeja and was destroyed. Both pilots, a stewardess and 21 passengers were killed, two others were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident was attributed to an error of judgement on the part of the pilot in trying to fly VFR in IFR conditions. The heavy rain prevented him from seeing trees with which he collided, and loss of control of the aircraft resulted.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 in Barrancabermeja: 19 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1962 at 1557 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

HK-794

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Schedule:

Barrancabermeja – Bucaramanga

MSN:

4551

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9532

Captain / Total hours on type:

2007.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

6295

Copilot / Total hours on type:

1500

Circumstances:

The DC-3 took off from Barrancabermeja runway 03 at 15:57. After 250 m the aircraft began veering to the left of the centreline and then swerved to the right. At 490 m into the takeoff, the DC-3 left the runway, corrected direction, crossed the centreline again and traversed the left-hand safety strip. The pilot corrected to avoid a collision with the T wind indicator and the aircraft entered the parking apron. The pilot applied full power as he altered direction to align with the aircraft parallel with the main runway. The starboard wing grazed the apron surface, and the aircraft bounced several times. The pilot decided to takeoff from the apron and attempted after a run of another 258 m to lift the aircraft without the necessary speed. The wingtip struck two helicopters (one of the two being a Hiller UH-12, HK-781E) on the ground, and the tail skid and cone struck a fuel tank at the edge of the apron. The aircraft cartwheeled 180° to port and fell into a depression 30 m deep and 120 m from the northern edge of the apron.

Probable cause:

The main cause of the accident was faulty piloting in the form of poor flight technique during take-off, with overcontrol of the aircraft throughout the 1169.70 m covered. The pilot used faulty judgement in trying to take-off outside the main runway 03 in use at the time. A contributing factor was faulty dispatching of the aircraft whose centre of gravity was outside the aft limit for take-off with maximum load at Barrancabermeja Airport.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Bucaramanga: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HK-305

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: