Zone
La Habana

Crash of a Boeing 737-201 in Havana: 112 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 2018 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 737-200
Operator:
Registration:
XA-UHZ
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Havana – Holguín
MSN:
21816/592
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
DMJ972
Location:
Havana-José Martí (Rancho Boyeros)
La Habana
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
107
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
112
Captain / Total flying hours:
16655
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2314
Aircraft flight hours:
69596
Aircraft flight cycles:
70651
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 06 at Havana-José Martí Airport, while in initial climb, the undercarriage were raised when the aircraft entered an excessive nose-up angle of 30°. It rolled to the right then descended until it struck power cables and a railway track before it disintegrated in a field located less than one km east from the airport. Three female passengers were seriously injured while 110 other occupants were killed, among them 102 Cubans, 6 Mexicans (crew) and 2 Argentinians. Three days after the accident, one of the three survivors died from her injuries. A second survivor died one week later, on May 25. The aircraft was operated by Cubana de Aviacíon under a wet lease contract from the Mexican operator Global Air (Damojh Aéreolíneas), and the service was operated under callsign DMJ972.
Probable cause:
Loss of control of the aircraft during initial climb following a chain of human errors in the preparation of the flight and the weight and balance calculation. It was determined that the crew calculated the CofG to be 17,4% while it was actually 28,5%, about 0,5% below the rear limit of 29%. Consequently, the horizontal stabilizer trim was set at 5 3/4 units instead of 3 1/4 units. This caused the aircraft to enter an excessive nose up attitude immediately after liftoff.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Inconsistencies in crew training,
- Errors in weight and balance calculations,
- Low operational standards manifested in flight.
Final Report:

Crash of an ATR72-212 in Guasimal: 68 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 2010 at 1751 LT
Type of aircraft:
ATR72-200
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1549
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Port-au-Prince - Santiago de Cuba - Havana
MSN:
459
YOM:
1995
Flight number:
CRN883
Location:
Guasimal
Sancti Spíritus
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
61
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
68
Aircraft flight hours:
25000
Aircraft flight cycles:
34500
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Port-au-Prince on a schedule service to Havana with an intermediate stop in Santiago de Cuba, carrying 61 passengers and 7 crew members. The airplane departed Santiago de Cuba-Antonio Maceo Airport at 1644LT and the crew was cleared to climb to his assigned altitude of 18,000 feet. At 1736LT, the crew was cleared to climb to 20,000 feet. During the climb, the Total Air Temperature (TAT) dropped from +3°C to -1°C and the aircraft' speed dropped from 196 knots to 176 knots. At 17:44, at FL200, the ICING caution light illuminated on the instrument panel with an associated chime. This was followed by the illumination of the AOA light several seconds later. At 17:46 the crew toggled the anti-icing switches on the overhead panel and contacted Havana Control to request permission to descent to FL160 due to icing. However, the controller reported conflicting traffic 30 miles ahead. The crew then requested vectors to enable them to descend. Clearance was given to change course from 295° to 330°. At 17:49, with an airspeed of 156 kts, the airplane commenced a right bank. Then suddenly the airplane banked left and right before banking 90° to the left again with a steep nose down attitude. The crew struggled to control the plane, which was banking turning and losing altitude. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in a wooded an hilly terrain. All 68 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Flight was proceeding normally until it found itself in extreme meteorological conditions that caused the airplane to ice up severely at an altitude of 20,000ft (6,100m). This, in conjunction with errors by the crew in managing the situation, caused the accident.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62M in Saint Domingo

Date & Time: Apr 20, 2008 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-62
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1283
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Santo Domingo - Havana
MSN:
4053823
YOM:
1991
Flight number:
CU201
Location:
Santo Domingo-Las Américas
Santo Domingo
Country:
Dominican Republic
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
109
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minute after takeoff from Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 25,000 feet, some 83 km from Santo Domingo, the captain informed ATC about the explosion of the engine n°2 and that a cabin decompression occurred. The crew was cleared for an immediate return and the aircraft landed uneventful few minutes later. All 117 occupants evacuated safely. However, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair due to severe damages to the engines n°2 and n°1 as well as the fuselage because debris of the engine n°2 punctured the fuselage and came to rest in the cabin.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D-40 in Caracas

Date & Time: Mar 28, 2005 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Ilyushin II-18
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1539
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Caracas – Havana
MSN:
296 4017 102
YOM:
1983
Flight number:
CRN4311
Location:
Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar
Vargas
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
87
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll on runway 09, the captain decided to reject takeoff for unknown reasons. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the four engine aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest on the top of a hill with the n°1 engine torn off. All 97 occupants were rescued, among them 16 were injured, some seriously.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV in Nueva Gerona

Date & Time: Jun 14, 2003 at 1605 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1295
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nueva Gerona - Havana
MSN:
2 73 075 08
YOM:
1972
Location:
Nueva Gerona
Isla de la Juventud
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
48
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Nueva Gerona-Rafael Cabrera Airport runway 23, the crew elected to climb to an altitude of 1,000 feet he encountered technical problems. He contacted ATC and was cleared for an immediate return. Following a 180 turn, the crew completed a flapless approach to runway 05. After landing, the aircraft rolled for about 2,500 metres then overran and came to rest in an artificial lake. All 52 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Failure of the hydraulic systems after takeoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P Bandeirante in Havana

Date & Time: Dec 6, 2002
Type of aircraft:
Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1110
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Holguin - Havana
MSN:
110-098
YOM:
1976
Location:
Havana-José Martí (Rancho Boyeros)
La Habana
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Havana-José Marti-Rancho Boyeros Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. In limited visibility, the aircraft descended too low when it impacted the ground and crashed in a wasteland located less than one km from the runway threshold. All 10 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-42D in Valencia: 22 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1999 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Yakovlev Yak-42
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1285
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Havana - Valencia
MSN:
49 14 068
YOM:
1989
Flight number:
CU310
Location:
Valencia
Carabobo
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
The three engine aircraft departed Havana Airport on a special flight to Valencia-Arturo Michelena Airport with 12 passengers and 10 crew members on board. They were on their way to Valencia to pick up Cuban rescuers who were recently dispatched in Venezuela to help local authorities following heavy floods that killed more than 10,000 people. Following a holding circuit of about 40 minutes, the crew was cleared to descend from 8,000 feet to 4,000 feet when, on final, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt San Luis located 12 km short of runway. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 22 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew started the descent prematurely and continued below the minimum safe altitude until the aircraft impacted terrain. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to the night.

Crash of a Douglas DC-10-30 in Guatemala City: 18 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1999 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-10
Operator:
Registration:
F-GTDI
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Havana - Guatemala City
MSN:
46890
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
CU1216
Location:
Guatemala City-La Aurora
Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
18
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
296
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Captain / Total flying hours:
16117
Captain / Total hours on type:
4872.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
8115
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4156
Aircraft flight hours:
85760
Aircraft flight cycles:
27331
Circumstances:
Leased from AOM French Airlines, the aircraft was completing a charter flight (service CU1216) from Havana to Guatemala City on behalf of Cubana de Aviacion, carrying 18 crew members and 296 passengers who were mostly young Guatemalan citizens studying medicine in Cuba. After touchdown on runway 19, the crew started the braking procedure but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, went down an embankment and eventually crashed onto several houses located in the district of La Libertad. Both pilots, six other crew members, eight passengers and two people on the ground were killed. Also, 57 people were injured (among them 20 on the ground) while 261 other occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the crew who landed too far down the runway with an excessive speed, between 1,220 and 1,320 metres past the runway threshold. Runway 29 is 2,767 metres long and it was calculated that the landing distance available was reduced by 1,450 to 1,500 metres. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The crew failed to initiate a go-around procedure while the landing procedure was obviously missed,
- An indicated airspeed (IAS) of the aircraft greater than the specified one, with an increase due to elevation and temperature,
- The initial gradient of the track that requires a vertical speed descent, during leveling, May than usual,
- The flotation of the aircraft during the leveling phase (flare), facilitated by the use of the “CWS” mode of the autopilot (procedure approved by the aircraft flight manual), without corrective action by the Commander,
- A probable tailwind component over which there was no exact information provided by the control tower and that was not monitored by the crew, as it was not in their procedures nor did he feel the need to,
- The failure of the crew to immediately start the braking procedure after touchdown, probably caused by a false visual impression of the crew which was facilitated by their lack of prior experience for the approach and landing on runway 19 at the Aurora Airport with this type of aircraft,
- The runway surface condition,
- A tailwind component.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-24RV off Santiago de Cuba: 44 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1997 at 2156 LT
Type of aircraft:
Antonov AN-24
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1262
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Santiago de Cuba - Havana
MSN:
27307610
YOM:
1972
Flight number:
CU787
Location:
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Country:
Cuba
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
39
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Santiago de Cuba-Antonio Maceo Airport, while climbing by night at an altitude of 500 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea few hundred metres offshore. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 44 occupants were killed, among them six Spanish and two Brazilian citizens.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following the failure of the left engine for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-154B-2 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1991 at 0938 LT
Type of aircraft:
Tupolev TU-154
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1227
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Havana - Mexico City
MSN:
82A541
YOM:
1982
Flight number:
CU130
Location:
Mexico City-Benito Juarez
Federal District of Mexico City
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
100
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. As he was unable to locate the runway, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure. Few minutes later, during a second attempt to land, the aircraft remained above the glide on short final and eventually landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. While contacting soft ground, the left main gear collapsed, the aircraft slid for about 500 meters then collided with the ILS antenna, causing the left wing to be torn off. A fire erupted and destroyed a part of the left fuselage. All 112 occupants were evacuated, among them one passenger was slightly injured.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration on part of the flying crew who continued the approach above the glide and landed too far down the runway, reducing the landing distance available. It was also reported that the crew was unable to initiate a second go-around because the fuel reserve were insufficient to perform a third circuit.
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