Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos

Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed. Three occupants were rescued while four others were killed. The exact place of the accident remains unknown.

Douglas DC-8

The DC-8 landed at Quito at 06:52 after a flight from Miami. Shortly after scheduled departure time of 09:00 members of the Ecuadorian Federation of Aircrews (FEDTA) requested and were granted permission to board the aircraft and discuss subjects relating to the aircrews' strike. The four Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos crew members didn't comply with the strike, after consulting AECA management. After a delay of about two hours, the n°4 engine was started. The crew then ordered the aircraft to be towed to the runway, perhaps in order to hasten the departure. The other engines were started during the towing operation. Pre-takeoff checks were not (or improperly) carried out. This caused the 0.5° horizontal stabilizer nose-up to go undetected, while 8° nose-up is required for takeoff. The DC-8 thus barely climbed after a ground run, extended to 48 meters beyond the runway end. The horizontal stabilizer struck the wooden structure of the ILS aerial, 83 meters past the runway 35 end. The aircraft then crashed into houses, 460 meters past the runway end and 35 meters to the right of the extended centreline. A total of 25 houses were demolished. All four crew members as well as 49 people on the ground were killed. At least 50 other people on the ground were injured, some of them seriously.

Canadair CL-44

After takeoff from Miami-Intl Airport, outbound to Managua on a cargo flight, the crew encountered technical problems with the undercarriage due to a hydraulic pressure fault. Decision was taken to return for a safe landing and the landing gears were lowered. The nose gear was down and locked but not both main gears which remained partially deployed and not locked. Upon touchdown, both main gear partially retracted and the airplane came to rest on the runway. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Nine crew members (pilots from the Douglas Aircraft Corporation and engineers of AECA) were completing a delivery flight from the US to Guayaquil. On final approach, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances on a river bank located few dozen yards short of runway 21 threshold. Two crew members were killed while seven others were injured.