Zone
Petén

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-55-CK Commando near Guatemala City: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
TG-ACA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Guatemala City – Flores
MSN:
121
YOM:
1944
Location:
Guatemala City-La Aurora
Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency after an engine failed. The captain elected to return but the airplane lost height and crashed in a hilly terrain located 24 km south of the capital city. All three crew members and two passengers were killed while 27 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
Engine failure for unknown reason.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Flores: 30 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1951 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
0961
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Flores – Guatemala City
Location:
Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena)
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Flores Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about 2 km from the airport. All five crew members and 25 passengers were killed while two others were seriously injured.
Crew:
Maj Enrique Pérez, pilot,
José Angel Escobar,
Miguel Deleón,
Casiano Castañeda,
Enrique Menéndez.
Probable cause:
It was reported that the loss of control was consecutive to a in-flight fire in the cabin caused by a cigarette that was not properly extinguished.
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