Crash of a Cessna 340A near Quiripital: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 2009 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV1451
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Valle de la Pascua – Charallave
MSN:
340A-0641
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Valle de la Pascua Airport on a private flight to Charallave. While approaching Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility due to low clouds when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Quiripital, about 15 km southeast of Charallave Airport. The wreckage was found the following day. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred after the crew suffered a loss of situational awareness while descending into IMC conditions.

Crash of a Beechcraft 100 King Air near Valera: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 2009 at 1153 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YV2129
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Charallave – Valera
MSN:
B-83
YOM:
1971
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport on a charter flight to Valera, carrying four passengers and two pilots. While descending to Valera-Carvajal Airport in IMC conditions, at an altitude of 9,650 feet, the aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Piedra Gorda located 35 km from the airport. The wreckage was found the following day at the end of the afternoon. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 6 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew started the descent prematurely. The lack of visibility was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II in Charallave: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 2008 at 2321 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YV-1165
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Cristóbal – Charallave
MSN:
31-7820067
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed San Cristóbal-Paramillo Airport on a private flight to Charallave with two passengers and one pilot on board. At 2319LT, he was cleared for a VOR-DME approach to runway 10. It was dark but the visibility was about 10 km. Shortly later, another aircraft on approach declared an emergency and became priority. The pilot was instructed to follow a holding pattern when two minutes later, the aircraft struck trees and crashed in a wooded and hilly terrain, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found the following morning 5,5 km northeast of the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Given the circumstances in which the accident occurred, it would be considered a CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain) type accident, which occurs as a result of unintentional impact on the ground, when the aircraft is under the control of the pilot in command. It is considered that the most probable cause of the accident was the loss of situational awareness, caused mainly by the concern that he was becoming distracted by the emergency of the aircraft preceding him on the approach, because of his administrative relationship with this aircraft and its crew.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft A100 King Air in Paparo

Date & Time: Dec 26, 2005 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV1507
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Barcelona – Charallave
MSN:
B-155
YOM:
1973
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route from Barcelona to Charallave, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to divert to the nearest airport. Eventually, he attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a prairie and collided with trees. All three occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Beechcraft 350 Super King Air in El Junquito: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 2005 at 1600 LT
Registration:
YV-783CP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Caracas – Charallave
MSN:
FL-313
YOM:
2001
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a ferry flight from Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport to Charallave. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near El Junquito, about 35 km northwest of Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Panther II near Punto Fijo

Date & Time: Mar 18, 2005 at 1625 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YV-427P
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charallave – Punto Fijo
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Charallave to Punto Fijo with seven passengers and one pilot on board. En route between Coro and Punto Fijo, while descending to Punto Fijo-Josefa Camejo Airport, the pilot encountered technical problems and elected to make an emergency on a motorway. Upon landing, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest upside down. All occupants escaped injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 500 Citation I in Charallave: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 2005 at 0923 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YV-21CP
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Maturín – Charallave
MSN:
500-0115
YOM:
1973
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport runway 28, the crew was unable to establish a visual contact with the runway and initiated a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, while on a second attempt to land, the aircraft broke through the cloud base at 800 feet but was not properly lined up with the runway. To avoid a collision with the tower, the crew made a turn to the right when the aircraft crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Partenavia P.68B in Santa Rita de Santa Teresa del Tuy: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 2004 at 1233 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
YV-928P
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Charallave – Margarita
MSN:
203
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
While flying at 5,500 feet, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Santa Rita de Santa Teresa del Tuy, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred after the pilot suffered a spatial disorientation while cruising under VFR mode in IMC conditions.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-12C Huron near Charallave: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 2003
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N48JA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Caracas – Charallave
MSN:
BC-51
YOM:
1978
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Lost without trace on a delivery flight from Caracas to Charallave. The wreckage was not found. Both occupants are presumed dead.

Crash of a Beechcraft C90 King Air in Fort Lauderdale: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 2001 at 2122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV-2466P
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charallave – Fort Lauderdale
MSN:
LJ-591
YOM:
1973
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
3205
Captain / Total hours on type:
1800.00
Aircraft flight hours:
8279
Circumstances:
The Venezuelan registered Beech King Air C90 departed Caracas, Venezuela's Óscar Machado Zuloaga International Airport at 1516 eastern daylight time with a pilot and two passengers aboard, and flew to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Florida. The route of flight filed with air traffic control was: after departure, direct to Maiquetia, thence Amber Route-315 to Bimini, thence Bahama Route 57V to Fort Lauderdale. The {planned} flight level was 220, and the pilot stated that 7 hours 15 minutes of fuel was aboard. Immigration/customs general declaration papers found aboard the wreckage stated the flight's intended destination was Nassau, and the pilot's daughter stated he always stopped at Nassau for fuel on many previous trips. After 6 hours 6 minutes, the aircraft crashed into a highway abutment about 1,700 feet short of his intended landing runway at Fort Lauderdale with total accountable onboard fuel of 3 to 4 gallons. One passenger received fatal injuries, one passenger received serious injuries, and the pilot received serious injuries. Engine factory service center disassembly examination revealed that the engines and their components exhibited no evidence of any condition that would have precluded normal operation, precrash. No precrash abnormalities with the propellers, their respective components, or any other aircraft system component were noted. Type certification data sheets for the C90 state that the unusable fuel aboard is 24 lbs., (3.6 gallons of Jet-A fuel).
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to properly plan fuel consumption and to perform an en route refueling, resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion while on downwind leg for landing at eventual destination, causing an emergency descent and collision with a highway embankment.
Final Report: