Region
South America

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A Packet near Santo Domingo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1958 at 1000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-82 Packet
Operator:
Lineas Aéreas del Caribe - LIDCA
Registration:
HK-930
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Arauca – Cúcuta
Location:
Santo Domingo
Táchira
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane left Arauca at 0930LT on a cargo flight to Cúcuta. About thirty minutes later, while overflying the region of Santo Domingo, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Hato

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1958
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AVS
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
MSN:
4372
YOM:
1942
Location:
Hato
Apure
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane christened 'Coco de Mono' crashed in unknown circumstances in Hato. The occupant's fate remains unknown. The accident occurred sometime in February 1958 (exact date unknown).

Crash of a Douglas R4D-1 near Niquitao: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1957 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AVG
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Maiquetía – Barinas
MSN:
4764
YOM:
1942
Location:
Niquitao
Trujillo
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft, chartered by the Socony Mobil Oil Company of Venezuela, took off on a special flight on 3 September at 0903LT from the Maiquetía International Airport on a through flight to Barinas. It carried a crew of 3 and 5 passengers. As the aircraft did not reach its destination nor any of the neighbouring airports that same day an emergency was declared. The wreckage was found on 12 September in the Penas Blancas Hills. There were no survivors.
Probable cause:
The probable causes of the accident are as follows:
- Bad weather and the latter's influence on radio communications and radio compass,
- Leaving the recommended route led to the aircraft going into a dangerous area,
- Flying between Boconó and Barinas at an inadequate height.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL in Calabozo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1957 at 0935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AFA
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Calabozo – Bruzual
MSN:
4525
YOM:
1942
Location:
Calabozo
Guárico
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Five minutes after takeoff from Calabozo Airport, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames. It was destroyed upon impact and all three crew members were killed. They were conducting a positioning flight to Bruzual.

Crash of a Lockheed L-749-79-34 Constellation on Mt Naiguatá: 25 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1956 at 0815 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-749 Constellation
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AMA
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
New York – Caracas
MSN:
2560
YOM:
1947
Flight number:
LV253
Location:
Mt Naiguatá
Miranda
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
25
Circumstances:
YV-C-AMA, on scheduled flight 253, took off from Idlewild Airport, NY, for Maiquetía, Venezuela, on 26 November with 7 crew and 18 passengers aboard. The flight plan gave an altitude of 17 000 ft, and the duration of the flight was estimated at 9 hours 48 minutes, with Barcelona and Curaçao as alternate airports. The pilot transmitted two position reports, the first, 75 miles northwest of Maiquetía, at 17 500 ft at 0751 hours, and the second, 14 minutes later, 35 miles northwest of Maiquetía at 7 000 ft. No further communication was received from YV-C-AMA after it had been cleared to change to tower frequency. Following the failure to report to the control tower, the aircraft was repeatedly called on all Maiquetía Control Centre frequencies at 0815 hours, with negative results. A state of emergency was declared at 0835 hours, and it was later established that the aircraft struck the western slope of peak El Avila located in the El Avila National Park at an altitude of 6 702 ft, killing all 25 occupants.
Probable cause:
The instrument flight training manuals show that the Linea Aeropostal Venezolana has approved a procedure for entering Maiquetía in semi-IFR conditions. This procedure consists in maintaining a minimum flight level of 10 000 ft as far as the station (Miq 292.5), then turning north over this point and continuing on a 360° heading for 4 minutes followed by a standard let-down to 1 200 ft above sea level until contact is established, and a return to the aerodrome under VFR. It is obvious that the pilot -in-command did not fully comply with this procedure, and, after accumulating errors in estimating his speed, endeavored to make a direct approach which proved fatal because his altitude at the time of his last report was insufficient to cross the Avila mountain range against which the impact occurred.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-2 Neptune in Delta Amacuro

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
122466
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Patuxent River - Little America
MSN:
126-1097
YOM:
1947
Location:
Delta of Orinoco National Park
Delta Amacuro
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left Patuxent River NAS bound for Antarctica, taking part to a SAR mission after a US Navy UC-1 Otter was missing since February 3. While approaching the Venezuelan coast, the right engine failed. The captain elected to divert to Piarco Airport in Trinidad & Tobago when the left engine failed shortly later. While 15 miles off shore, he decided to reach the coast and eventually completed an emergency landing in a uninhabited area located in the north side of the State of Delta Amacuro. On touchdown, the aircraft struck trees, lost its both wings and came to rest, broken in two. All eight crew members were rescued and evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan near Capaya: 10 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1956
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-LBK
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
3438
YOM:
1942
Location:
Capaya
Miranda
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
Crashed in a mountainous area located near Capaya, killing all ten occupants.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F Commando off Maracaibo: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-EVL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Maiquetía – Guatemala City
Location:
Maracaibo
Zulia
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While cruising off Maracaibo, the airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46-CU Commando near Capacho: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Lineas Interamericana Aérea
Registration:
HK-607
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Cúcuta – Cravo Norte
Location:
Capacho
Táchira
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Capacho while performing a cargo flight from Cúcuta to Cravo Norte. The passenger was seriously injured while all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL off Barcelona: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-ALU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Caracas – Barcelona
MSN:
4791
YOM:
1942
Location:
Barcelona
Anzoátegui
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While descending to Barcelona along the coast, the crew encountered technical issues and decided to ditch the aircraft few km off shore. Four passengers were killed while nine other occupants were rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost.
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