Date & Time:
Jul 20, 1920
Type of aircraft:
Farman F.40
Operator:
Compañia Colombiana de Navegación Aérea
Registration:
Santa Marta
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cartagena - Barranquilla
Country:
Colombia
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from the bay of Cartagena, while climbing, the engine stopped. The pilot Félix Fratoni lost control of the aircraft that lost height and crashed in the sea. The pilot and a passenger were killed while a second passenger was injured. Miguel Araujo, Director of the newspaper 'El Porvenir', was the only survivor.
Probable cause:
Engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. The engineer in charge to prepare the flight forgot to put fuel in the tank prior to departure, and the pilot was unaware of that and did not make any preflight check.
