Manta-Eloy Alfaro | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Manta-Eloy Alfaro Airport at 1711LT on a cargo flight to San Pablo, carrying one passenger, two pilots (among them an instructor) and a Load consisting of 70 boxes of shrimp larvae. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the right engine suffered power fluctuations. The instructor pilot switched on the auxiliary fuel pump and changed the fuel mixture but the engine problems persisted. On final approach to San Pablo, the right engine failed and the crew continued the approach on one engine. Following a high approach, the aircraft landed too far down the runway, about 292 metres from the runway end. It bounced and landed firmly six metres further. Realizing that the runway distance available was insufficient, the instructor pilot decided to initiate a go-around procedure. The aircraft climbed to a height of about 20 metres then impacted ground 140 metres to the right of the runway centreline and 26 metres past the runway end. The copilot was killed and both other occupants were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

The instructor pilot's decision to initiate a go-around procedure after landing in the last third portion of the runway with the right engine inoperative, an insufficient runway length and an aircraft's weight that required to stay on the ground. The following contributing factors were identified:
- The decision of the crew to continue the flight after the failure of the right engine that required an immediate landing,
- The crew failed to follow the checklist,
- Failure of the instructor pilot to proceed to an adequate approach briefing,
- Wrong approach configuration,
- Lack of awareness about the runway's characteristics on part of the pilot-in-command,
- The total weight of the aircraft was above the permissible limit,
- Lack of crew coordination,
- The crew mistakenly feathered the left propeller.

Crash of a Boeing 707-323C in Manta: 34 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1996 at 2244 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 707

Operator:

Registration:

N751MA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

City

Schedule:

Manta - Miami

MSN:

19582

YOM:

1967

Flight number:

OX406

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Manta-Eloy Alfaro Airport on a cargo flight to Miami, carrying one passenger, three crew members and a load of frozen fish and flowers. Seven seconds after liftoff, while in initial climb, the crew informed ATC that the engine n°3 caught fire. The captain elected to maintain control but the aircraft lost altitude, struck the bell tower of the church La Dolorosa and crashed in a populated area located about 4 km west of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and several houses and building were destroyed. All four occupants as well as 30 people on the ground were killed. Fifty other people on the ground were seriously injured.

Probable cause:

It was reported that the engine n°3 suffered an uncontained failure during the takeoff roll as debris were found on runway 23.

Crash of a Junkers W.34 near Jipijapa: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Junkers W.34

Operator:

Registration:

Atahualpa

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Guayaquil – Manta

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Guayaquil to Manta, the crew encountered poor visibility due to fog. The single engine airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Jipijapa and was destroyed upon impact. All six occupants were killed, among them General Jose Enrique Ribadeneira.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.