Date & Time:
Aug 20, 1977
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-880
Operator:
Monarch Aviation
Registration:
N8817E
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San José - Caracas
MSN:
22-00-65
YOM:
1962
Country:
Costa Rica
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Two minutes and 20 seconds after takeoff from runway 25 at San José-Juan Santamaria Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine airplane rolled to the right, lost height and crashed in a wooded area located 4 km from the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as both CVR and FDR were inoperative at the time of the accident. However, the assumption that the accident was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft was not ruled out.
