Tegucigalpa-Toncontin

Following an uneventful flight from Managua, the crew started a night descent to Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport. The standard approach to runway 01 consisted of a three-steps descent from the initial approach fix altitude of 7,500 feet. For unknown reasons, the crew failed to follow this procedure and started the descent prematurely and with a constant descent profile from a distance of 11 nm from the airport. This caused the aircraft to descend below the glide when, at an altitude of 4,000 feet, it struck the slope of Cerro de Hula (4,800 feet high) located 7,7 km short of runway 01. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and 15 people, including four crew members, were rescued while 131 other occupants were killed.

On approach to Mocorón-Durzona Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to rain falls. Too low, the aircraft struck a hilly terrain and crashed few km from the airfield. All 52 occupants were killed.

Prior to takeoff from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa, one of the engine failed as well as a generator. Passengers were disembarked and the captain decided to fly to Tegucigalpa on three engines only. Less than one minute after takeoff, while climbing, the pilot reported a critical situation and requested an immediate return. While making a last turn, the airplane lost height and crashed on a residential area located 1,500 meters from the airport, bursting into flames. All six occupants were killed and 38 people on ground were injured. The aircraft and several houses were destroyed.

While flying 100 km east of Belize City on a cargo flight from Tegucigalpa to Miami, the engine n°1 failed. The crew was cleared to divert to Belize City and few minutes later, the propeller detached from engine n°1 and struck the engine n°2. The propeller on engine n°2 was feathered and on approach, the crew was unable to lower the left main gear that remained partially retracted and could not be locked down. In such conditions, the captain decided to make a go-around and to recycle the gear, without success. Eventually, the crew completed a landing with the left main gear partially retracted. Upon touchdown, the left wing touched the runway surface and the airplane veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. While all three crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

En route from Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport to Howard AFB in Panama City, while cruising in limited visibility, the four engine airplane struck the slope of Mt de la Muerte located about 54 km southeast of San José, Costa Rica. As the airplane failed to arrive at destination, SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found. The wreckage was located on 16 May 1975 in an isolated and mountainous area.

Shortly after takeoff from Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport, while in initial climb, the three engine airplane collided with power lines, stalled and crashed in a ravine located about 300 metres past the runway end. An Italian passenger tried to escape and jumped out the cabin but fall in the ravine with his kid in his arms. The father was killed and his kid was injured. All 10 other occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is believed that the takeoff was initiated with a tailwind component and the left main wheel or the left wing impacted an electric power line during initial climb. Some debris such as an engine (third image) were found 83 years later by a depth of 65 feet.
Crew:
Eugene 'Smokey' Rhoads, pilot,
Mr. Holmberg, mechanic.

Source and photos via Amado Aguiluz Ferrari, Coronel José Alfredo San Martín and Carlos Rosa Mejía.