Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL on Mt Pena Blanca: 5 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 6, 1959 at 1120 LT
Operator:
Registration:
XH-SAA
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Copán – Nuevo Ocotepeque – San Pedro Sula
MSN:
19667
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
15840
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Copán Airport, the pilot-in-command decided to continue under VFR when he encountered marginal weather conditions while flying over a mountainous area. Seven minutes after it departed Copán Airport, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Pena Blanca. The wreckage was found few hours later and all five occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the pilot's attempt to fly over mountainous terrain by visual reference to the ground under weather conditions severely restricting visibility ahead of the aircraft, which forced him to descend to a dangerous altitude.
