Country
code

La Habana

Crash of a Boeing 737-201 in Havana: 112 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 2018 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-UHZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Havana – Holguín
MSN:
21816/592
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
DMJ972
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
107
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
112
Captain / Total flying hours:
16655
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2314
Aircraft flight hours:
69596
Aircraft flight cycles:
70651
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 06 at Havana-José Martí Airport, while in initial climb, the undercarriage were raised when the aircraft entered an excessive nose-up angle of 30°. It rolled to the right then descended until it struck power cables and a railway track before it disintegrated in a field located less than one km east from the airport. Three female passengers were seriously injured while 110 other occupants were killed, among them 102 Cubans, 6 Mexicans (crew) and 2 Argentinians. Three days after the accident, one of the three survivors died from her injuries. A second survivor died one week later, on May 25. The aircraft was operated by Cubana de Aviacíon under a wet lease contract from the Mexican operator Global Air (Damojh Aéreolíneas), and the service was operated under callsign DMJ972.
Probable cause:
Loss of control of the aircraft during initial climb following a chain of human errors in the preparation of the flight and the weight and balance calculation. It was determined that the crew calculated the CofG to be 17,4% while it was actually 28,5%, about 0,5% below the rear limit of 29%. Consequently, the horizontal stabilizer trim was set at 5 3/4 units instead of 3 1/4 units. This caused the aircraft to enter an excessive nose up attitude immediately after liftoff.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Inconsistencies in crew training,
- Errors in weight and balance calculations,
- Low operational standards manifested in flight.
Final Report:

Crash of an Embraer EMB-110P Bandeirante in Havana

Date & Time: Dec 6, 2002
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1110
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Holguin - Havana
MSN:
110-098
YOM:
1976
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Havana-José Marti-Rancho Boyeros Airport by night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. In limited visibility, the aircraft descended too low when it impacted the ground and crashed in a wasteland located less than one km from the runway threshold. All 10 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 off Havana: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
14-22
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3805
YOM:
1976
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was approaching Havana-Jose Marti-Rancho Boyeros Airport when the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea few km offshore. A crew member was rescued while seven other occupants were killed.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62M in Havana: 171 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1989 at 1857 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1281
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Havana - Cologne - Milan
MSN:
3850453
YOM:
1989
Flight number:
CU9646
Country:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
115
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
171
Captain / Total flying hours:
13000
Captain / Total hours on type:
4761.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1326
Aircraft flight cycles:
254
Circumstances:
Flight CU9646 was a charter flight from Havana to Milan with an intermediate stop in Cologne, carrying Italian tourists. One hour before takeoff, a low pressure zone was located about nine km from the airport of Havana with winds up to 40 km/h. The wind force increased during the last minutes prior to takeoff and the captain decided to takeoff despite unsafe conditions. After takeoff from runway 05, while in initial climb, gear was raised and the crew selected flaps from 30° to 15°. The aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, struck elements of the ILS antenna located 220 meters past the runway end, struck a hill and crashed in a residential area. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and several houses and buildings were destroyed. Among the 126 occupants, a men aged 22 was seriously injured while all 125 other occupants were killed as well as 45 people on the ground. Eight days later, the only survivor died from his injuries. At least 59 people on the ground were injured. It was determined that wind was gusting up to 100 km/h at the time of the accident with downdrafts and windshear located in the climb path.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of the combination of the following factors:
- The existence of an adverse atmospheric phenomenon of windshear at low altitude, of which existence the captain did not know,
- An unwise decision of the pilot in command to not postpone the takeoff given the existing weather conditions near the airfield.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D near Havana: 38 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1985 at 0822 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T899
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Havana - Managua
MSN:
188 0111 02
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
33
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
38
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Havana-Jose Marti-Rancho Boyeros Airport, while climbing, the crew initiated a right turn when the airplane banked right to an angle of 30° then entered a dive and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and all 38 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of the failure of the artificial horizontal. Also, it is possible that cargo shifted during the right turn, modifying the CofG and causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-62M in Havana: 67 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1977 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-86614
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Frankfurt - Lisbon - Havana
MSN:
51903
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
SU331
Country:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
59
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
67
Aircraft flight hours:
5549
Aircraft flight cycles:
1144
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Lisbon, the crew started the descent to Havana-Jose Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport and was cleared for an approach to runway 05. The crew encountered poor visibility due to foggy conditions and failed to realize his altitude was too low after he initiated the final approach too late, causing the aircraft to be 64 meters below the minimum descent altitude. The aircraft turned onto runway heading at a distance of 9 km from the runway threshold. According to the approach procedure, the aircraft should have done so at 14-15 km from the threshold. Despite he did not have the runway in sight, the captain decided to continue to descent until the aircraft passed below the decision height. At a distance of 1,820 meters from the runway threshold, the aircraft was approaching at a speed of 280 km/h and at a height of 23-25 meters when it struck power cables. Elevators separated and flaps on the right wing were torn off. The airplane then struck 22 palms, continued to descent until it crashed in flames 1,270 meters short of runway and 121 meters to the right of its extended centerline. Two passengers were seriously injured while 67 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of several errors on part of the flying crew who failed to realize that the approach configuration was wrong. The approach was initiated too late (9 km iso 15 km) and the crew continued the descent below the glide due to a wrong altimeter setting. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimums due to foggy conditions and the crew failed to take corrective actions and to properly monitor the radio altimeter, causing the airplane to descend until it impacted with trees and ground.

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-43 in Havana

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T1200
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Montreal - Havana
MSN:
45638/156
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
CU455
Country:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Havana-José Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport following an uneventful flight from Montreal, the four engine airplane collided with a Cubana Antonov AN-24B that was completing a local training flight with a crew of five on board. While the DC-8 was able to continue the approach and to land without further problems, the Antonov crashed, killing its entire crew.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24B in Havana: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1976
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T879
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Havana - Havana
MSN:
67302501
YOM:
1976
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed Havana-José Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport on a local training mission. After it entered the approach path, the twin engine airplane collided with a Cubana Douglas DC-8-43. Registered CU-T1200, the DC-8 was approaching the same airport following an uneventful flight from Montreal with 13 passengers and a crew of 16 on board. Following the collision, the Antonov AN-24 went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in flames. All five occupants were killed. The crew of the DC-8 was able to continue the approach and to land without further problems. All 29 occupants escaped uninjured but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair after the engine n°1 was torn off as well as a part of the left wing.

Crash of an Antonov AN-24V in Havana: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1973 at 1603 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T876
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nueva Gerona – Havana
MSN:
67302403
YOM:
1966
Flight number:
CU707
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On final approach to Havana-José Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck the ground and crashed few km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed, three passengers were killed and 18 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unclear but it was reported that the captain made some errors on approach while the copilot failed to use standard phraseology.

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

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CU-T607
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Havana – Nueva Gerona
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
50
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Five minutes after takeoff from Havana Airport, five hijackers attempted to enter the flight deck. Two guards tried to stop the hijackers and shots were fired. During the struggle the captain was killed as well as one hijackers and a guard. The copilot was able to complete an emergency landing in a sugar cane field. The undercarriage were sheared off and the airplanes came to rest. All other occupants were evacuated safely.
Probable cause:
Hijacking.