Crash of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VI-N in Flores: 94 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1986 at 0758 LT
Type of aircraft:
Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle
Operator:
Registration:
HC-BAE
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Flores
MSN:
40
YOM:
1960
Location:
Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena)
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
88
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
94
Circumstances:
On approach to Flores-Santa Elena Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions. The captain initiated a go-around, followed a circuit and started a second approach few minutes later. As the visibility was still below minimums, the crew was unable to sight and locate the runway. The aircraft passed over the airport without any visual contact was established and continued when it struck the slope of a mountain located 8 km from the airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 94 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew decided to attempt a second approach in below minimums visibility due to fog.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 in Chuarrancho: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1984 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
IAI Arava 201
Operator:
Registration:
856
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
038
YOM:
1976
Location:
Chuarrancho
Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
About 10 minutes after takeoff from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in Chuarrancho, about 25 km north of the airport. All 11 occupants were killed. The crew was en route to the Petén province.

Crash of a IAI Arava 201 in Poptún

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1983
Type of aircraft:
IAI Arava 201
Operator:
Registration:
824
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
027
YOM:
1976
Location:
Poptún
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing for unknown reasons. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo Porter in Guatemala

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Centravia Servicios Aéreos
Registration:
TG-BOC
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
MSN:
794
YOM:
1978
Location:
Guatemala
All Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Guatemala. Occupant fate unknown.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Huehuetenango: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Huehuetenango
Huehuetenango
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed on approach in unknown circumstances. Four occupants were killed while seven others were injured.

Crash of a Lockheed L-188A Electra in Guatemala City: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-188 Electra
Operator:
Registration:
HR-SAW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Tegucigalpa
MSN:
1018
YOM:
1958
Location:
Guatemala City-La Aurora
Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
It was determined that a second generator failed during initial climb for unknown reasons. Due to insufficient power, hydraulic pressure dropped below minimums, causing the airspeed to drop and the aircraft to stall. The fact that the aircraft was not correctly trimmed was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-1-DK in Yaxchibal: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Aero Express - Guatemala
Registration:
TG-BAC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
14330/25775
YOM:
1944
Location:
Yaxchibal
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Few minutes prior to its arrival at Flores Airport, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a pasture located in Yaxchibal. All seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Guatemala City: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
Operator:
Registration:
FAS001
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
San Salvador – Guatemala City
Location:
Guatemala City-La Aurora
Guatemala
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On approach to Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, the pilot encountered low visibility due to heavy rain falls when the twin engine airplane crashed near Santa Catarina Pinula, few km from the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and all three occupants were killed, three officers of the Salvadoran Air Force, among them Gilberto Balmore Escamilla, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
Crew:
Maj Fernando Salazar Mena,
Cpt Fredy Roberto Asencio.
Passenger:
Gilberto Balmore Escamilla.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Poptún: 31 killed

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Guatemala City - Poptún
Location:
Poptún
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Guatemala City Airport, carrying 27 passengers and four crew members, essentially army officers and family members who were flying to Poptún to visit Maya ruins. In unknown circumstances, the airplane crashed in a mountainous area located about 65 km south of Poptún. All 31 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Carmelita

Date & Time: Oct 18, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
TG-AXA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
6053
YOM:
1942
Location:
Carmelita
Petén
Country:
Guatemala
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
A tire burst upon landing at Carmelita. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway and nosed over. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on landing following a tire burst.
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