Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Tamarindo

Date & Time: Dec 16, 2005 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
TI-AZQ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San José - Tamarindo
MSN:
805
YOM:
1984
Flight number:
5C330
Location:
Tamarindo
Guanacaste (North Pacific)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5297
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from San José-Tobías Bolaños Airport, the crew started the descent to Tamarindo Airport runway 07. On short final, at a height of about 500 feet, control was lost and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area located 2 km short of runway. All eight occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of a loss of control on short final following the combination of the following factors:
- An elevator cable probably broke away due to a progressive wear combined with a damaged pulley,
- The proximity of the terrain,
- The low speed of the aircraft,
- The lack of crew training in such situation,
- The loss of control of the aircraft occurred at a critical phase of the flight, initially caused by a mechanical failure and later to human factors.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E in San José: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 2000 at 1304 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Taxi Aéreo Centroamericano - TACSA
Registration:
YS-09-C
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
San José - Tortuguero
MSN:
86 16 20
YOM:
1986
Location:
San José-Tobías Bolaños
Heredia (Center-North)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
7801
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3000
Circumstances:
After takeoff from San José-Tobías Bolaños Airport, en route to the Tortuguero National Park, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed onto a house located in the district of Rohrmoser, about 3 km southeast of the airport. Four passengers were killed while 14 other occupants were injured, some seriously. Three people in the house, a nurse and two little girls were uninjured. Fifteen days after the accident, on January 30, the captain died from his injuries.
Probable cause:
Possible loss of longitudinal control of the aircraft in flight, due to not reaching the minimum climb speed, due to a wrong takeoff configuration as the flaps were retracted (zero position).
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Inadequate weight distribution that affected the position of the aircraft.
- The CofG was beyond the rear limit, out of the envelope.
- The crew failed to follow the pre-takeoff checklist.
- The total weight of the aircraft was above the MTOW.
- The high density altitude.
- Lack of supervision of the dispatch of the flight by the operator. (Absence of procedures).
- Self-induced pressure from the crew for an expeditious operation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R in San José: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1998 at 0738 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Registration:
TI-AVP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
San José – Nicoya
MSN:
31-7912087
YOM:
1979
Location:
San José-Tobías Bolaños
Heredia (Center-North)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
About two minutes after takeoff from San José-Tobías Bolaños Airport, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in the district of Rohrmoser, about 3 km southeast of the airport. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 207 Skywagon in San José: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1996 at 1003 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair
Operator:
Servicios Aéreos Tomás Acevedo (SAETA)
Registration:
TI-AGP
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San José – Quepos
Location:
San José-Tobías Bolaños
Heredia (Center-North)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from San José-Tobías Bolaños Airport, while climbing, the aircraft suffered an engine failure and stalled. It crashed in a field, bursting into flames. A passenger was killed while four other occupants were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander near Paso Canoas: 10 killed

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1968 at 0837 LT
Type of aircraft:
Britten-Norman Islander
Operator:
Registration:
TI-1063C
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
San José – Paso Canoas
MSN:
14
YOM:
1968
Location:
Paso Canoas
Puntarenas (Central and South Pacific)
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While approaching Paso Canoas Airstrip on a flight from San José, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in the mouth of the Rio Grande de Terraba, about 7 km west of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.
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