Crash of a Rockwell 690B Turbo Commander in Ahuas

Date & Time: Aug 23, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Grand Commander 690
Operator:
Registration:
XB-DRA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
11423
YOM:
1977
Location:
Ahuas
Gracias a Dios
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engagted in an illegal contraband flight when it crash landed in an open field located near Ahuas. No one was found on site and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. A load of cocaine was found on board.

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air near Brus Laguna

Date & Time: Jul 20, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
Registration:
N740P
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
BB-1218
YOM:
1985
Location:
Brus Laguna
Gracias a Dios
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Engaged in an illegal flight, the twin engine airplane landed on a dirt road located about 35 km southwest of Brus Laguna. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest, damaged beyond repair. No one was found on site and a load of 806 kilos of cocaine was seized.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air near Iriona: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
Registration:
HK-5075
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
BB-801
YOM:
1981
Location:
Iriona
Colón
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was engaged in an illegal flight carrying two pilots and a probable load of cocaine bags. En route, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a prairie located in a mountainous area near Iriona. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 60 near Bajamar

Date & Time: Mar 22, 2019
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Sabreliner 60
Operator:
Registration:
N990PA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
306-114
YOM:
1976
Location:
Bajamar
Cortés
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated and uninhabited area located about 14 km east of Bajamar, Honduras. The airplane was engaged in an illegal mission (drug smuggling flight) as a pack of cocaine and a gun were found in the wreckage. The crew disappeared and was not recovered.

Crash of a Gulfstream G200 in Tegucigalpa

Date & Time: May 22, 2018 at 1119 LT
Type of aircraft:
Gulfstream G200
Operator:
Registration:
N813WM
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Austin – Tegucigalpa
MSN:
54
YOM:
2001
Location:
Tegucigalpa-Toncontin
Francisco Morazán
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5400
Aircraft flight hours:
5299
Circumstances:
On final approach to runway 02, the copilot informed the captain about the fact that the approach speed was too high by 20 knots to the reference speed. The captain replied he would correct this but the airplane landed too far down runway 02, about 993 metres before the end of the runway which is 2,010 metres long but with a displaced threshold, giving a landing distance available of 1,700 metres. Upon touchdown, the aircraft's speed was 142 knots, about 14 knots above the speed reference according to existing conditions and weight and balance. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, went down an embankment, crossed a road and came to rest against a second embankment, broken in two. All six occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was destroyed. Owned by TVPX, it was operated by Silver Air.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the followings:
- The crew completed an approach at a speed higher than the reference speed for weight and balance specified in the aircraft checklist,
- Lack of specific information on the length of the runway at Toncontín International Airport by the crew for the approach to runway 02, when landing almost halfway down the runway leaving little distance for effective braking of the systems,
- A late activation of the thrust reverser systems about 0:13 seconds after touchdown was considered as a contributing factor,
- Existing weather conditions were not considered as a contributing factor.
Final Report:

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E3 in Comayagua: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 2017 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
FAH-322
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Comayagua - Comayagua
MSN:
87 18 27
YOM:
1987
Location:
Comayagua-Palmerola AFB
Comayagua
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at Comayagua-Palmerola AFB when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances onto a building. The captain was killed while the copilot and the flight engineer were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
Cpt Olvin Emanuel Florez Meraz, pilot, †
Lt Cesar Augusto Banegas Corea, copilot,
Cdt Brayan Daniel Zavala Amaya, flight mechanic.

Crash of a BAe 3101 Jetstream 31 in San Pedro Sula

Date & Time: Dec 31, 2012 at 1014 LT
Type of aircraft:
BAe Jetstream 31
Operator:
Registration:
HR-AWG
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Roatán - San Pedro Sula
MSN:
764
YOM:
1987
Flight number:
EKY734
Location:
San Pedro Sula
Cortés
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Roatán, the crew started the approach to San Pedro Sula Airport Runway 04. After touchdown, the pilot applied brake when the aircraft encountered controllability problems. It veered off runway to the left, went through a grassy area, lost its undercarriage and came to rest with its nose in a drainage ditch located 40 metres to the left of the runway. All 19 occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II near Catacamas: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 2012
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31 Cheyenne
Operator:
Registration:
PT-OFH
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
31-7920034
YOM:
1979
Location:
Catacamas-El Aguacate
Olancho
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was engaged in an illegal flight, carrying two pilots and a load consisting of 600 kilos of cocaine. After being tracked by the Honduran Police, the crew apparently attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed. While the copilot was injured, the captain was killed.

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S in Plan de La Laguna: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 2012 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Shrike Commander 500
Operator:
Registration:
TG-JAB
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
San Pedro Sula - Tegucigalpa
MSN:
500-3303
YOM:
1977
Location:
Plan de La Laguna
Comayagua
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the twin engine aircraft was flying low when it impacted tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located in Plan de La Laguna, in the Comayagua National Park. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Let L-410UVP-E20 near Tegucigalpa: 14 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 2011 at 0802 LT
Type of aircraft:
Let L-410
Operator:
Registration:
HR-AUQ
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
San Pedro Sula - Tegucigalpa
MSN:
91 26 03
YOM:
1991
Flight number:
CAA731
Location:
Tegucigalpa
Francisco Morazán
Country:
Honduras
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Captain / Total flying hours:
15300
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4810
Aircraft flight hours:
5153
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed San Pedro Sula-Ramon Villeda Morales Airport at 0704LT on a 40-minute flight to Tegucigalpa, carrying 12 passengers and two pilots. After being cleared to descend to 9,000 feet for an approach to runway 20, the crew informed ATC he was initiating a go-around procedure for unknown reasons. Few minutes later, the aircraft was cleared for an approach to runway 02. On approach in marginal weather conditions in a full flaps down configuration, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a wooded area located 12 km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and all 14 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The following findings were identified:
1) Weather conditions existing at the time of the event, during the approach to the runway the aircraft was operated slightly above the stall speed and a major change in wind speed could cause a stall. The altitude at which the windshear occurred, and the reaction time of the pilot and the responsiveness of the aircraft determined whether the descent could be arrested in time to avoid an accident.
2) No published descent procedures were performed, possibly misinterpretation of Flight Instruments (altimeter, airspeed indicator).
3) During the descent to the VOR/DME for runway 20 and 02, the pilot in command (PIC) did not check his approach chart, and did not continually consult the first officer on the altitude and course.
4) There was no adequate communication between crew; deficient CRM (No approach briefing was made for any of the two approaches).
5) The aircraft was configured for landing with flaps fully down (flap 42) at a very long distance from the track without having it in sight. It is noteworthy that the aircraft will not respond to an adverse condition windshear as it appeared at that time with such a configuration. It should be noted that in both approaches it is mandatory to perform a 'circling' procedure.
Final Report:
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