Country
code

Zulia

Crash of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air into Lake Maracaibo: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 2024 at 1548 LT
Operator:
Registration:
YV3296
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Maracaibo - Porlamar
MSN:
BB-885
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
About 12 minutes after takeoff from Maracaibo-La Chinita Airport, while flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the twin engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into Lake Maracaibo. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 8 occupants were killed. The flight was en route to Porlamar-Del Caribe-General en Jefe Santiago Mariño Airport when the accident occurred.

Crash of a BAe 125-800A in Jesús María Semprún

Date & Time: Dec 5, 2020 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N484AR
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
258014
YOM:
1984
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After flying over the Yucantan Province and the Cayman Islands, the aircraft entered the Venezuelan Airspace without permission. It was pursued by F-16 fighters over the Lake of Maracaibo until it crashed in unknown circumstances in the Jesús María Semprún municipality. There was no fire and no casualties apparently. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Cessna 401A in the Lake Maracaibo

Date & Time: Aug 1, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N17JE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Puerto Plata – Santa Cruz de Barahona
MSN:
401A-0082
YOM:
1969
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Puerto Plata-Gregorio Luperón Airport at 1718LT on a flight to Santa Cruz de Barahona. En route, the pilot was informed that this airport is closed to all traffic after 1700LT and decided to return to Puerto Plata. A last radio communication was recorded with ATC when the aircraft disappeared from radar screens eight minutes later. Dominican authorities thought the aircraft may have crashed in the septentrional mountain range and SAR operations were initiated. Few hours later, the wreckage was found in a marshy area of the Lake Maracaibo, more than 1,000 km south of Puerto Plata. All three occupants were found alive and arrested while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Venezuelan authorities reported the aircraft and its occupants were engaged in an illegal narcotic flight.

Crash of a Gulfstream GII near Machiques: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N27SL
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
84
YOM:
1970
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in an illegal trip and elected to land on a remote 'airstrip' located in the region of Machiques. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest, bursting into flames. One pilot was killed and the second was injured.

Crash of a Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II off Sabaneta de Palmas

Date & Time: Apr 1, 2016 at 2200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HI938
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
421B-0129
YOM:
1971
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying by night, the twin engine airplane crashed under unknown circumstances in the lake of Maracaibo and came to rest few dozen metres off Sabaneta de Palmas. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Maracaibo

Date & Time: Apr 25, 2015 at 1710 LT
Registration:
YV2803
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Caracas – Maracaibo
MSN:
BB-506
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the twin engine aircraft landed hard. Impact caused the tail to separate. The aircraft lost its undercarriage then slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest, bursting into flames. All five occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was destroyed. It seems the aircraft suffered an engine failure shortly before landing.

Crash of a Beechcraft E90 King Air in Casigua El Cubo: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 2014
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
YV1537
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Anaco – Santa Bárbara del Zulia
MSN:
LW-309
YOM:
1979
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Anaco to Santa Bárbara del Zulia, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances by a wooded area located near Casigua El Cubo. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed. It is believed that the aircraft was engaged in an illegal contraband flight.

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 in Machiques: 160 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 2005 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-4374X
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Panama City - Fort-de-France
MSN:
49484
YOM:
1986
Flight number:
YH708
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
152
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
160
Captain / Total flying hours:
5942
Captain / Total hours on type:
1128.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1341
Copilot / Total hours on type:
862
Aircraft flight hours:
49494
Aircraft flight cycles:
24312
Circumstances:
The MD-82 arrived at Panama City-Tocumen after a flight from Medellín-José María Córdova Airport (MDE). The plane was then prepared to carry out a flight to the Caribbean island of Martinique. Flight WCW 708 departed Panama City at about 06:00 UTC and climbed to its cruising altitude of FL310. This altitude was reached at about 06:25 UTC. Sixteen minutes later the airplane began a normal climb to FL330. At 06:49 the speed began to steadily decrease from Mach 0.76. The horizontal stabilizer moved from about 2 units nose up to about 4 units nose up during this deceleration. At 06:51 UTC the crew reported at FL330 over the SIDOS waypoint, over the Colombian/Venezuelan border, and requested a direct course to the ONGAL waypoint. The controller instructed the crew to continue on the present heading and to await further clearance direct to ONGAL. The flight crew meanwhile discussed weather concerns that included possible icing conditions and the possible need to turn on engine and airfoil anti-ice. At 06:57 UTC the flight crew requested permission to descend to FL310, which was approved. The autopilot was disconnected and the airplane started to descend. As the airplane descended past about FL315, the airspeed continued to decrease and the engine EPR decreased to about flight idle. Two minutes later a further descent to FL290 was requested, but the controller at Maiquetía did not understand that this was a request from flight 708 and asked who was calling. Flight 708 responded and immediately requested descent to FL240. The controller inquired about the state of the aircraft, to which they responded that both engines had flamed out. The controller then cleared the flight to descent at pilot's discretion. In the meantime, the altitude alert warning had activated, followed by the stick shaker and the aural stall warning alert. The airspeed had reached a minimum of about 150 indicated air speed (IAS) knots at about FL250. The crew reported descending through FL140 and reported that they were not able to control the airplane. The aircraft descended at 7,000 ft/min, and finally crashed in a swampy area. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 160 occupants were killed. Debris were found on an area of 205 metres long and 110 metres wide. The entire descent from FL330 had taken approximately 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
Probable cause:
Given the aerodynamic and performance conditions, the aircraft was taken to a critical state, which led to a loss of lift. Consequently, the cockpit resource management (CRM) and decision-making during the development of emergency were misguided. This was caused by the following:
a) Awareness of environment (or situational awareness) insufficient or improper that allowed the cockpit crew, not being full and timely aware of what was happening regarding the performance and behavior of the aircraft.
b) Lack of effective communication between the cockpit crew that limited, within the decision making process, the possibility to timely choose appropriate alternatives and options and to set respective priorities in the actions taken at the time when it was established that there was a critical or emergency situation (stall condition at high altitude).
It is found that the cause of the accident is determined by the absence of appropriate action to correct the stall of the aircraft, and also in the emergency up to the impact with the ground, at an inappropriate hierarchy of priorities in implementing the procedures. Subsequently, the operations were conducted outside of the limits and parameters set by the manufacturer's manual performance, together with an inadequate flight planning by failing to consider meteorological aspects, in addition a misinterpretation and late of the energy state of the aircraft by the flight crew. Therefore, the evidence shows the classification of "Human Factor" as a cause of this accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft B80 Queen Air near Maracaibo

Date & Time: Mar 29, 2004 at 0805 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OB-952
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Maracaibo – Boa Vista
MSN:
LD-348
YOM:
1967
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Maracaibo while completing a flight from Maracaibo to Boa Vista. No trace of the crew was found and it is believed that the flight was illegal.

Crash of an Aérospatiale SN.601 Corvette in Santa Bárbara de Zulia

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1991
Operator:
Registration:
YV-572CP
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
17
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Santa Bárbara de Zulia-Las Delicias Airport, the tyre on the left main gear burst. Control was lost and the aircraft veered off runway to the left. While contacting soft ground, the undercarriage were torn off and the aircraft came to rest few dozen meters further. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during takeoff after the tyre on the left main gear burst.