Montego Bay

The aircraft crashed at night near a private strip in marginal weather conditions. The gear was found in the up position, the right engine was broken off, the nose section was crushed back to the windshield, and both propellers were bent and twisted. About 1,300 lbs of marijuana was found on board.

At about 0530LT, the aircraft was fired upon by soldiers of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) as it was attempting to take off from the Braco Airfield near Discovery Bay. The plane crashed and burned at the edge of the runway. The occupants escaped the fire but the pilot was seriously injured as the passenger was slightly wounded. According to the JDF, the pilot was attempting to take off shortly after he had landed and after the JDF had ordered him to halt. The aircraft was fired upon only after it had refused to obey the order and after it had run the JDF men off the runway. The JDF found several thousands US$ in cash on the two Americans and a load Smith & Wesson revolver. He was later reported that the aircraft had an engine trouble en route from Turks & Caicos Islands to Montego Bay. Jamaican Authorities reported to the US DEA that they saw the aircraft arrive in Braco Airfield and after landing, the pilot climbed on a wing and signaled with a flashlight. When challenged, he reentered the aircraft and attempted to run down the guard. At this point the JDF guards opened fire.

Avianca Flight 671, a Lockheed Super Constellation, took off from New York-Idlewild for a flight to Bogotá via Montego Bay and Barranquilla. En route to Montego Bay, the no. 3 engine malfunctioned and was stopped. The flight diverted to Miami, arriving there at 16:57. A replacement propeller governor was fitted, but during pre-flight checks a further defect in the no. 2 engine was found. This was rectified and the flight departed Miami at 00:12, the copilot being the pilot flying. Upon arrival near Montego Bay, clearance was given for a standard instrument approach. The airfield was sighted following the procedure turn at 2,000 feet and the approach was continued visually. Following a heavy touchdown, the plane bounced and landed back on the runway and skidded down the runway in flames, coming to rest inverted, 1,900 feet from the runway threshold and 200 feet to the left. Five crew members and four passengers survived while 37 other occupants were killed. The airplane was destroyed by fire.