Havana

The fuel tanks were filled the day before the accident date, and on the day of the accident, the airplane was flown from that airport to the Miami International Airport, where the pilot picked up 2 passengers and flew uneventfully to Cuba. He performed a preflight inspection of the airplane in Cuba and noted both auxiliary fuel tanks were more than half full and both main tanks were half full. The flight departed, climbed to 8,000 feet; and was normal while in Cuban airspace. When the flight arrived at TADPO intersection, he smelled strong/fumes of fuel in the cabin. The engine instruments were OK at that time. The flight continued and when it was 10-12 miles from Marathon, he smelled something burning in the cabin like plastic material/paper; engine indications at that time were normal. He declared "PAN" three times with the controller, and shortly thereafter the right engine began missing and surging. He then observed fire on top of the right engine cowling near the louvers. He secured the right engine however the odor of fuel and fumes got worse to the point of irritating his eyes. He declared an emergency with the controller, began descending at blue line airspeed, and the fumes/odor got worse. Approximately 5 minutes after the right engine began missing and surging, the left engine began acting the same way. He secured the left engine but the propeller did not completely feather. At 400 feet he lowered full flaps and (contrary to the Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual) the landing gear in preparation for ditching. He intentionally stalled the airplane when it was 5-7 feet above the water, evacuated the airplane with a life vest, donned then inflated it. The airplane sank within seconds and he was rescued approximately 20 minutes later. The pilot first reported 4 months and 19 days after the accident that his passport which was in the airplane at the time of the accident had burned pages. He was repeatedly asked for a signed, dated statement that explained where it was specifically located in the airplane, and that it was not burned before the accident flight; he did not provide a statement. Examination of the airplane by FAA and NTSB revealed no evidence of an in-flight fire to any portion of the airplane, including the right engine or engine compartment area, or upper right engine cowling. Examination of the left engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The left magneto operated satisfactorily on a test bench, while the right magneto had a broken distributor block; and the electrode tang which fits in a hole of the distributor gear; no determination was made as to when the distributor block fractured or the electrode tang became bent. The left propeller blades were in the feathered position. Examination of the right engine revealed no evidence or preimpact failure or malfunction. The right hand stack assembly was fractured due to overload; no fatigue or through wall thickness erosion was noted. Both magnetos operated satisfactorily on a test bench. The right propeller was in the feathered position. An aluminum fuel line that was located in the cockpit that had been replaced the day before the accident was examined with no evidence or failure or malfunction; no fuel leakage was noted.

The crew was approaching Havana-Jose Marti-Rancho Boyeros Airport when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea few km offshore. A crew member was rescued while seven other occupants were killed.

Flight 523 was a scheduled international flight from Prague, Czechoslovakia to Havana, Cuba, via Shannon, Ireland, and Gander, Newfoundland. It departed Prague at 1649 hours GMT on 4 September and proceeded to Shannon where it arrived at 2020 hours for a routine servicing stop. It departed Shannon at 2131 hours arriving at Gander at 0326 hours on 5 September following an uneventful flight. The crew which had flown the aircraft from Prague disembarked at Gander and was replaced by a crew which had been off duty in Gander from 3 September. At Gander the aircraft was serviced and refuelled under the supervision of the flight engineer of the outgoing flight. A flight plan to Havana was filed at about 0405 hours and at 0504 hours the aircraft began taxiing to the threshold of runway 14. It was cleared to take-off at 0508 hours. The length of the ground roll was normal, the undercarriage and flaps were retracted, but the angle of climb was abnormally shallow. At 0509 hours the flight advised the tower controller that the aircraft was airborne, the tower controller acknowledged the transmission and advised the flight to contact Air Traffic Control Centre on a frequency of 119.7 MHz. Whilst the radio operator was changing frequency the aircraft struck the ground about 4 000 feet beyond the end of the runway. The accident occurred at 0510 hours GMT. Debris scattered on 1,500 meters and 32 occupants were wounded while 37 others were killed, among them 4 crew members.

The aircraft was carrying out a non-scheduled international cargo flight from Rancho Boyeros Airport, Havana, Cuba, to Mexico City International Airport, Mexico. It departed Rancho Boyeros Airport at approximately 0100 hours Mexico time and its estimated time of arrival at Mexico was 0450 hours. At 0400 hours, when reaching the BX intersection, the aircraft contacted the Mexico Control Centre and requested authorization to enter the control area. This was granted and the latest weather information for Mexico Airport was transmitted to the aircraft but no acknowledgement was received. Subsequent transmissions from the aircraft on 118.7 MHz were unintelligible and it was instructed to change to 120.1 MHz. The c clearance and weather information were again passed to the aircraft on that frequency. The aircraft reported over Nautla and Tulanciago and was informed that visibility at Mexico City was 14 miles because of fog. It was then instructed to descend from 18 000 to 12 000 ft and change to approach frequency 119.7 MHz. It was also advised that the runway would be 23L and that the wind was calm. At 0458 hours the aircraft reported over Tepexpan and was instructed to descend to 11 000 ft and report over the VOR where it could initiate a standard descent. At 0500 hours the aircraft reported over the VOR leaving 11 000 ft and was instructed to change to 118.1 MHz, the control tower frequency. This was the last contact with the aircraft. It did not establish contact on the tower frequency. The aircraft crashed in flames 18 km from runway threshold and 400 meters to the right of its extended centerline. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.

A multiple engine failure forced the crew to attempt an emergency landing near Cienfuegos. The aircraft crash landed in a field and came to rest. Two passengers were killed and two others were injured. All other 89 occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Shortly after takeoff from Nueva Gerona Airport, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near a beach located about 6 km northeast of the city. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed. The airplane was completing an ambulance flight to the capital city, carrying a child who should be transferred to hospital after being victim of a criminal act. The name of the operator and the registration remains unknown.

A minute after its takeoff from runway 19, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea less than one km off shore. The aircraft was destroyed and all 22 occupants were killed.

Five minutes after takeoff from Havana Airport, five hijackers attempted to enter the flight deck. Two guards tried to stop the hijackers and shots were fired. During the struggle the captain was killed as well as one hijackers and a guard. The copilot was able to complete an emergency landing in a sugar cane field. The undercarriage were sheared off and the airplanes came to rest. All other occupants were evacuated safely.

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and belly landed. It skidded for dozen yards before coming to rest. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was written off.

Just after takeoff from Havana-Ciudad Libertad Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames onto a hangar. All three crew members and one person in the hangar were killed.