Puerto Berrío | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Bogotá-Guaymaral Airport runway 10, while in initial climb, the crew initiated a left turn in accordance with procedures. The copilot contacted ATC and declared an emergency following technical problems. The crew was immediately cleared to land at his discretion when the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a prairie located 600 metres from the runway 28 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all eight occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

A possible fuel contamination affected the power on one engine or both. The aircraft was overloaded at takeoff, which, compounded by the considerable loss of power to the engines due to the altitude of the aerodrome, did not allow the pilot to maneuver the aircraft to return to the runway. In addition, the center of gravity, despite being within the permissible limits, was too far behind for an operation in adverse weather conditions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL near Puerto Berrío: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1980 at 2130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Aeronorte Colombia - Aerovias del Norte

Registration:

HK-329

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Barranquilla - Bogotá

MSN:

4404

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Barranquilla-Ernesto Cortissoz Airport at 1930LT on a cargo flight to Bogotá. About two hours later, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in a wooded area located near Puerto Berrío. The wreckage was found few hours later and all three crew members were killed:
Crew:
Jaime Feged, pilot,
Arnovis Guarín, copilot,
Rafael Melo, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Loss of control while cruising in severe turbulences after one wing detached following rivets failure.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor near Puerto Berrío: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1973 at 0725 LT

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1147

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Medellín – Puerto Berrío

MSN:

AF-614

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine airplane crashed in a mountainous area located 40 km west of Puerto Berrío. The copilot and a passenger survived while five other occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in Medellín: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1966 at 1531 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

HK-1009

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Medellín –Puerto Berrío

MSN:

1197

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Medellín Airport, while climbing, the engine failed. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing when control was lost. The airplane crashed in flames an industrial area located near the airport, killing all eight occupants.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near Santo Domingo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1957 at 0420 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

HK-181

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Puerto Berrío – Medellín

MSN:

744

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft landed at Puerto Berrío at 0346LT and took off again for Medellín at 0355LT. It carried a pilot and eight passengers. When it had covered half of the route and while at the highest point along the route, about 8 km from Santo Domingo, the aircraft crashed, at approximately 0420LT, into one of the hills. One passenger was killed instantly, another died later at Medellín, and the others suffered minor injuries.

Probable cause:

After careful study of the present investigation referring to the accident involving aircraft HK-181 owned by Aerotaxi Servicios Aéreos on the territory of the municipality of Santo Domingo ( Antioquia) which occurred on 4 June 1957, it is found that the cause of the accident was pilot error. This error consisted in the pilot's having flown too low under poor weather conditions and in his having engaged his aircraft in a canyon with no outlet. He was thus forced to make an emergency landing on unsuitable terrain. Unfavourable weather conditions being an extenuating circumstance, Civil Aeronautics rules that the pilot is to pay a penalty fine of five hundred pesos ($500.00) into the National Treasury in view of his responsibility for this accident which resulted in two deaths, and in the destruction of the aircraft. Aerotaxi Servicios Aéreos shall submit the pilot to severe checking before allowing him to fly again as a taxi pilot.

Final Report:

Crash of a Junkers F.13 in Girardot

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1933

Type of aircraft:

Junkers F.13

Operator:

Registration:

C-36

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Girardot – Puerto Berrío

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from the Rio Magdalena in Girardot, the float plane impacted a wall and crashed. All four occupants were injured while the aircraft named 'Garcia Rovira' was destroyed.
Crew:
Mr. Klein, pilot +1.
Passengers:
L. S. Nilsson +1.

Crash of a Junkers F.13 in Girardot: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1923 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers F.13

Operator:

Registration:

A-2

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Girardot – Puerto Berrío

MSN:

557

YOM:

1920

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taking off from the Rio Magdalena in Girardot, the seaplane named 'Colombia' hit a rock and crashed. The mechanic Schröder was killed while all five other occupants were injured, among them the pilot Oswald Schütz.