Region
South America

Crash of an Avro 748-285-2A in Quito

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1987 at 1227 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BAZ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1738
YOM:
1975
Location:
Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City)
Pichincha
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Mariscal Sucre Airport, the crew encountered technical problems and the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest few dozen meters further. All 38 occupants were evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and later transferred to the Museum of the Ecuadorian Air Force in Quito.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the failure of the electrical system.

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan near Guayaquil: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 20, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Comercializadora del Pacifico
Registration:
HK-2832
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
404-0819
YOM:
1981
Location:
Guayaquil
Guayas
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Buenaventura on an illegal flight. In the region of Guayaquil, the aircraft was shot down and crashed. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Loja: 14 killed

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1984
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
FAE446
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Loja - Zumba
MSN:
446
YOM:
1975
Location:
Loja
Loja
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Loja Airport, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed. All 14 occupants were killed. The aircraft had a dual registration: civil HC-BCG and military FAE446.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-55F in Quito: 53 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1984 at 1104 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-8
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BKN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Miami – Quito – Guayaquil
MSN:
45754
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
2A103
Location:
Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City)
Pichincha
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
53
Aircraft flight hours:
60070
Aircraft flight cycles:
17003
Circumstances:
The DC-8 landed at Quito at 06:52 after a flight from Miami. Shortly after scheduled departure time of 09:00 members of the Ecuadorian Federation of Aircrews (FEDTA) requested and were granted permission to board the aircraft and discuss subjects relating to the aircrews' strike. The four Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos crew members didn't comply with the strike, after consulting AECA management. After a delay of about two hours, the n°4 engine was started. The crew then ordered the aircraft to be towed to the runway, perhaps in order to hasten the departure. The other engines were started during the towing operation. Pre-takeoff checks were not (or improperly) carried out. This caused the 0.5° horizontal stabilizer nose-up to go undetected, while 8° nose-up is required for takeoff. The DC-8 thus barely climbed after a ground run, extended to 48 meters beyond the runway end. The horizontal stabilizer struck the wooden structure of the ILS aerial, 83 meters past the runway 35 end. The aircraft then crashed into houses, 460 meters past the runway end and 35 meters to the right of the extended centreline. A total of 25 houses were demolished. All four crew members as well as 49 people on the ground were killed. At least 50 other people on the ground were injured, some of them seriously.
Probable cause:
The incorrect position of the horizontal stabilizer in relation to the aircraft's centre of gravity, which prevented the aircraft from reaching rotation and lift-off speed within the runway distance available. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Clearance of the aircraft from Quito was done incorrectly, since the MTOW permissible for the existing runway, wind and temperature conditions, the real take-off weight, the useful load distribution and the position of the aircraft's centre of gravity were not determined,
- The crew's state of mind may have been a contributing factor in the accident. It is assumed that it prevented the crew from concentrating on all aspects of the operation they were performing.

Crash of a Boeing 737-2V2 in Cuenca: 119 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1983 at 0740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing 737-200
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BIG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Quito - Cuenca
MSN:
22607
YOM:
1981
Location:
Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar
Azuay
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
111
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
119
Circumstances:
On final approach to Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility due to poor weather conditions. On final, he failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames near the district of Gaullum, about 2 km short of runway 05 threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 119 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
For unknown reasons, the flying crew continued the approach below the glide without proper visual contact with the ground. A lack of experience was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-R in Guayaquil: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1983
Type of aircraft:
Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BAT
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Guayaquil - Quito
MSN:
125
YOM:
1962
Flight number:
WB832
Location:
Guayaquil
Guayas
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
94
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Guayaquil-Simon Bolivar Airport runway 21, while in initial climb, the left engine failed. The pilot informed ATC about the situation and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. On final approach, the right engine lost power and the airplane lost height and crashed in a swampy area short of runway threshold. A crew member and seven passengers were killed while 20 other occupants were injured. 72 other occupants escaped uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the engine failure could not be determined. However, the day prior to the accident, the captain proceeded to a test flight following an engine overhaul and noted that the power was insufficient and that the engine failed to respond properly. Engines were rechecked by ground personnel and it was noted in the log book there was no anomalies.

Crash of a Vickers 828 Viscount in Cuenca

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1982
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
HC-ATV
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Guayaquil – Cuenca
MSN:
458
YOM:
1962
Location:
Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar
Azuay
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the four engine airplane landed long on runway 23 with an excessive speed. After touchdown, the crew started the braking procedure but the captain realized he could not stop the aircraft on the remaining distance. Thus he elected to steer the aircraft to the right of the runway. The right main gear dug into soft ground, causing the right wing to struck the ground as well as both right engines n°3 and 4. There were considerable structural damages to the right wing and right engines so the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou near Valladolid: 44 killed

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1982
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
Operator:
Aerolineas Condor
Registration:
HC-BHZ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Zumba - Loja
MSN:
249
YOM:
1967
Location:
Valladolid
Zamora-Chinchipe
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
40
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
44
Circumstances:
While cruising in bad weather conditions on a flight from Zumba to Loja, the crew got disoriented when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the region of Valladolid. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 44 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules near Quito: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1982
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
FAE743
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
4743
YOM:
1977
Location:
Quito
Pichincha
Country:
Ecuador
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While descending to Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport, the crew decided to abandon the approach and initiate a go-around. While in a holding pattern, the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 15 km from the airport. All 10 occupants were killed.
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