Zone
Guayas

Crash of a Vickers 828 Viscount in Cuenca

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1982
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
HC-ATV
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Cuenca
MSN:
458
YOM:
1962
Location:
Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar
Azuay
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the four engine airplane landed long on runway 23 with an excessive speed. After touchdown, the crew started the braking procedure but the captain realized he could not stop the aircraft on the remaining distance. Thus he elected to steer the aircraft to the right of the runway. The right main gear dug into soft ground, causing the right wing to struck the ground as well as both right engines n°3 and 4. There were considerable structural damages to the right wing and right engines so the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries.

Crash of a Vickers 764D Viscount in Cuenca: 24 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BEM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guayaquil - Cuenca
MSN:
183
YOM:
1956
Location:
Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar
Azuay
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
24
Circumstances:
The crew filed an IFR flight plan from Guayaquil to Cuenca. After passing over the city of Puna, he decided to cancel the flight plan and continued under VFR mode. While descending to Cuenca, pilots encountered low clouds and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located few km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 24 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Following several negligences, the crew started the descent prematurely under VFR mode in clouds, causing the aircraft to continue below the minimum prescribed altitude until it struck the mountain (controlled flight into terrain).

Crash of a Vickers 764D Viscount near Cuenca: 33 killed

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BCL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guayaquil - Cuenca
MSN:
185
YOM:
1956
Location:
Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar
Azuay
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
33
Circumstances:
While descending to Cuenca-Mariscal Lamar Airport in poor weather conditions, the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Cajas Mountain Range, about 40 km north of the intended destination. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 33 occupants were killed. The accident occurred in IMC conditions while the crew was approaching Cuenca Airport under VFR mode.
Probable cause:
The crew was flying VFR mode in adverse weather conditions, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Avro 748-246-22A near Loja: 34 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1976 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
FAE683
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Loja - Guayaquil
MSN:
1683
YOM:
1970
Location:
Loja
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
34
Circumstances:
Ten minutes after takeoff from Loja Airport, while cruising over mountains terrain at an altitude of 10,000 feet in good weather conditions, the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed on the mountain. Eight passengers were seriously injured while 34 other occupants were killed. The airplane had a dual registration FAE683 and HC-AUE.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of altitude and the subsequent collision with ground was the consequence of orographic currents encountered over the mountainous area.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 on Mt Guachanama: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Humanitarian
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Loja - Guayaquil
Location:
Mt Guachanama
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Loja on an airlift to Guayaquil, carrying civilians (doctors) and various equipments following the recent earthquake. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 meters et marginal weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Guachanama located in the region of Celica. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL near Tacna: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
PP-AST
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Arica
MSN:
9659
YOM:
1943
Location:
Tacna
Tacna
Country:
Peru
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a cargo flight from Guayaquil to Arica, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Maldito (3,501 meters high) located in the region of Tacna, Peru. The wreckage was found a month later, on April 16. All four crew members have been killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-40-CU Commando off Panama City: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 7, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Aerolineas Carreras Transportes Aéreos - ACTA
Registration:
LV-HIJ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Panama City – Guayaquil – La Paz – Buenos Aires
MSN:
22346
YOM:
1945
Location:
Panama City
Panamá
Country:
Panama
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Panama City-Tocumen Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 40 km offshore. The aircraft was destroyed and all 7 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild F-27A near Quito: 37 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild F27
Operator:
Registration:
HC-ADV
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Quito
MSN:
1
YOM:
1958
Location:
Quito
Pichincha
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
While approaching Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 16 km from the airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 37 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL on Mt Illiniza: 32 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1958 at 0900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HC-ACL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Quito
MSN:
19779
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AR222
Location:
Mt Illiniza (24 Mayo)
Cotopaxi
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Captain / Total flying hours:
7402
Circumstances:
Flight 222 left Guayaquil at 0806 hours on a scheduled non-stop flight to Quito. The aircraft carried 32 persons, including 3 crew members and an infant. It was cleared to climb IFR on the Guayaquil-Esmeraldas track on a heading of 358°, then to continue in visual contact to Quito, after cancellation of the IFR flight. At 0819 the pilot contacted ATC and gave his estimated arrival over Manta radio beacon at 0841. One minute later the pilot reported at 4,000 feet, maintaining this altitude. At 0830 clearance was requested for a further IFR climb and the aircraft was told to wait. At 0836 clearance to climb was again requested and at 0840 clearance was given to climb IFR to 5,000 feet on the Guayaquil-Esmeraldas track. The pilot reported at 0841 as being over Manta beacon at 5,000 feet and estimated arrival at Quito at 0916. Clearance was granted for a climb to above the clouds on the same track. This was the last contact with the aircraft which, presumably, continued to fly in cloud without breaking through on top until it crashed at an altitude of 2,300 metres ( 7,500 feet) in the western mountains of the Chugchilán Range, killing all occupants.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident is that the pilot did not follow the 358° Guayaquii-Esmeraldas track, authorized for instrument flight, until clear of cloud, but probably assumed a heading of 250° as soon as he left Guayaquil, in order to fly the most direct route between Guayaquil and Quito. In so doing while on instruments, he deviated from the Guayaquil-Esmeraldas track at too low an altitude to clear the Chugchilán Range before him with an adequate safety margin.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Simiátug: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 2, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
HK-120
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bogota – Quito – Guayaquil
MSN:
4314
YOM:
1941
Location:
Simiátug
Bolívar
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
While cruising southwest of Ambato, the twin engine aircraft crashed in a mountainous area located near Simiátug, about 21 km northwest of the Chimborazo volcano. The wreckage was found two days later and all 15 occupants have been killed.
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