Date & Time:
Feb 15, 1970 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-9
Operator:
Registration:
HI-177
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Santo Domingo - San Juan
MSN:
47500/546
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
DO603
Country:
Dominican Republic
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
97
Pax fatalities:
97
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
102
Circumstances:
Two minutes after takeoff from runway 16 at Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport, while in initial climb, the pilot informed ATC that the right engine failed and was cleared to return for an emergency landing. Shortly later, the left engine failed as well. Out of control, the airplane entered a dive and crashed into the Caribbean Sea about three km offshore. Few debris were floating on water and others sank by a depth of 300 meters. All 102 occupants were killed among them the Dominican boxer Carlos Teo Cruz, world lightweight champion as well as a large part of the Puerto Rico's National Women's Volleyball Team.
Probable cause:
Brand new, the aircraft was delivered by Douglas Corp to Dominicana de Aviación last 16 of December 1969. Only few debris were recovered and unfortunately, both CVR & FDR were not found. Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the double engine failure may have been caused by the contamination of fuel by an important quantity of water.
