Bolivia | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

In the region of Vacas, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the crew started the descent to Cochabamba when the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located 64 km southeast of the Jorge Wilsterman Airport. All 32 occupants (28 soldiers and 4 crew members) and one woman on the ground were killed.

Probable cause:

Apparently due to poor weather conditions and lack of visibility, the crew started the descent prematurely, causing the aircraft to collide with a mountain that was shrouded in clouds.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-5-CK Commando near Machacamarca

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

2057

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing for unknown reasons. The airplane crash landed near Machacamarca and came to rest on sand dunes. All five crew members were rescued and the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Lockheed 18-10 LodeStar in Sucre

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed 18 LodeStar

Operator:

Registration:

CB-26

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Supply

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

18-2098

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was engaged in a supply mission to rebels when it was shot down by government antiaircraft fire. The occupant fate remains unknown.

Probable cause:

Shot down.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando in Rurrenabaque

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1949

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

CB-37

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

433

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Damaged beyond repair in an accident.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL near Trinidad

Date & Time: May 29, 1947

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

CB-32

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

19445

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in a swampy area. Occupant fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Sikorsky S-38BL off Guayaramerín: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941 at 1110 LT

Type of aircraft:

Sikorsky S-38

Operator:

Registration:

Nicolás Suárez

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Trinidad – Guayaramerín – Cobija

MSN:

114-15

YOM:

1930

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The floatplane named 'Nicolás Suárez' departed Trinidad on a flight to Cobija with an intermediate stop in Guayaramerín. Approaching the destination, it crashed in unknown circumstances in the Mamoré River, near the pontoon. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Emilio Beltran, pilot,
L. Veltze, copilot.
Passengers:
Elias Gorayeb,
Col Cruz Saldanha.

Crash of a Ford 5 near Pojo: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Ford 5

Operator:

Compañía Aramayo de Minas

Registration:

CB-CAM-2

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

5-AT-080

YOM:

1929

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight and crashed in the Challhuani Mountain Range, near the village of Pojo. All eight occupants were killed, among them Major William Brooks, pilot.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Junkers JU.86A-1K in Cochabamba

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.86

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Cochabamba

Country:

Bolivia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The right engine caught fire in flight, forcing the crew to divert to Cochabamba Airport for an emergency landing. The airplane named 'Mariscal Santa Cruz' was destroyed in the accident and all three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Lt Jorge Eulert, pilot,
2nd Lt Alfredo del Río, mechanic,
Sgt Néstor Fiorilo.

Probable cause:

The right engine caught fire in flight.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mbe near Rincón del Tigre: 17 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1940 at 1910 LT

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

CB-17

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Santa Cruz – San Ignacio de Velasco – Roboré – Puerto Suárez – Corumbá

MSN:

4008

YOM:

1932

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Santa Cruz to Corumbá, Brazil, with intermediate stops in San Ignacio de Velasco, Roboré and Puerto Suárez with several officials on board. The stop at San Ignacio de Velasco was longer than scheduled and the aircraft departed late from Roboré to Puerto Suárez. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost his bearings. The captain decided to divert to the Rincón del Tigre Airfield but while descending in low visibility, the three engine aircraft named 'Juan del Valle' impacted the slope of a mountain slope and crashed. The wreckage was found in January 1942 in an isolated area. All 17 occupants were killed.
Crew:
Georg Jüterbock +2.
Passengers:
Colonel Jenaro Blacut,
José A. Saavedra Rivero,
Gabriel René Moreno,
Dr. Rómulo Herrera Justiniano,
Blanca Catera de Herrera,
Agustín Landívar Zambrana,
Dr. Adalberto Terceros Mendívil,
Dr. Sócrates Barba Caballero,
Victoria de Lazarte,
Don Salomón Aponte,
Mr. Dolavela,
Lucio Parada +2.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was not on the intended flight track when the accident occurred. A possible navigation error was committed by the crew who was hampered by the lack of visibility caused by poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Junkers W.33 in Chochis: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1939

Type of aircraft:

Junkers W.33

Operator:

Registration:

CB-19

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Roboré – Santa Cruz

MSN:

2756

YOM:

1933

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at night from Roboré to Santa Cruz, the airplane named 'Muruata' crashed in unknown circumstances near Chochis. The pilot and a female passenger were injured while the radio navigator and three children were killed.