Condoto-Mandinga | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Condoto-Mandinga Airport, the right engine failed. The crew completed an emergency landing in a swampy area and upon touchdown, the right engine separated and struck the cockpit, injuring the copilot. All other occupants escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine after takeoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in Condoto: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1964 at 1751 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-319

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Condoto – Medellín

MSN:

19680

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The DC-3 landed at Condoto at 16:48 GMT after a flight from Medellin. The aircraft was unloaded and reloaded with 9 metal drums of graphite oil, totaling 2214 kg. The aircraft, with a 11045 kg takeoff weight (1157 kg below MTOW), took off from runway 27, heading back for Medellin. Five minutes after takeoff the pilot requested a return to Condoto because the aircraft was badly loaded. The flight was cleared for a runway 27 landing and the pilot reported on finals at 17:50. The plane touched down and bounced twice before climbing sharply. The DC-3 lost control and crashed left wing down, 480 m from the runway end.

Probable cause:

The prime cause of the accident was error of other personnel inasmuch as the sequence of events leading up to the accident was initiated by faulty distribution of the cargo on board the aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Tuluá: 15 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1957 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-155

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Condoto – Buenaventura – Cali

MSN:

4338

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

HK-155 departed Cali for Condoto at 0827LT. It reported taking-off from Condoto on the return flight at 0950LT and advised that it would fly via Buenaventura. Shortly after take-off, HK-155 changed from Condoto Tower frequency to the Cali aeronautical telecommunications frequency and reported at 0958 that it had departed Condoto at 0950 with a load of 975 kg including 12 passengers and that it was proceeding to Cali via Buenaventura. No record could be found of a later call from the aircraft on any of the frequencies available. The flight from Condoto to Cali would normally take about 50 to 55 minutes. At 1037, Cali called HK-155 but received no reply. The Cali route frequencies log indicates at 1107 that Bogota: ATC had declared an alert with regard to HK-155. The wreckage was found on the slope of a wooded mountain located 32 km west of Tuluá. All 15 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the probable cause of the accident was an instrument flight at inadequate altitude. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The Buenaventura route was not followed,
- Instrument flight which precluded visual means of checking the aircraft's position,
- The pilot did not consider it necessary to check his position by means of El Paso radio beacon,
- Over-confidence on the part of the pilot regarding his knowledge of the route,
- Flight outside the established route or airway
- Unfavorable weather conditions.
As the aircraft crashed on the direct route Condoto - Cali and the said route had not been authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Department, it can be logically assumed that the pilot is solely responsible for this accident since he flew, on instruments, a route which had not been authorized, even for visual flights.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL nearTrujillo: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1955 at 1515 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

HK-328

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Condoto – Cali

MSN:

20224

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Condoto at 1436LT with an ETA in Cali at 1535LT and was carrying five passengers, a crew of three and a load of gold and platinum. While cruising at an altitude of 12,500 feet north of Cali, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed on a mountain side located near Trujillo. As the airplane failed to arrive in Cali, SAR operations were conducted and the wreckage was found four days later, on March 13. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all eight occupants were killed.