Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAV

Douglas DC-9

The aircraft departed Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport on a schedule service to Puerto Ordaz, carrying 125 passengers and a crew of 5. On this flight, the copilot was the PIC with the captain acting as instructor and a second copilot who was seating in the jump seat and acting as an observer. During the takeoff roll from Caracas Airport, the liftoff was completed quickly, causing the base of the empennage to struck the runway surface (tail strike). Nevertheless, the captain decided to proceed to Puerto Ordaz. On final to Puerto Ordaz, the approach speed was too low (123,8 knots). The aircraft sank and landed hard, causing the fuselage to be bent at the aft cabin, just prior to the tail, and both engine pylons to fail and to break from the fuselage. The aircraft was brought to a stop on the main runway and all 130 occupants evacuated safely.

Douglas DC-9

The aircraft departed Caracas-Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar on a post maintenance test flight, carrying eight engineers and technicians and three crew members. Twenty-eight minutes into the flight, the crew started the test program when nine minutes later, the pilot was able to send a brief mayday message but its content remains unclear. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea 16 km off Margarita Island. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and few debris were found floating on water while the majority of the aircraft sank to a significant depth and was not recovered.

Douglas DC-9

After departure from Maracaibo-La Chinita Airport, the crew followed a wrong heading to Santa Bárbara de Zulia (153° instead of 193°), which caused the aircraft to fly to the southeast over the lake of Maracaibo. While cruising at an altitude of 16,500 feet, the crew was cleared by ATC to descend to 5,500 feet. The crew reported to ATC that the VOR seemed to be inoperative but this was denied by the air traffic controller. At an altitude of 9,900 feet, the captain realized something was wrong about the heading selection, stopped the descent and initiated a right turn to gain height when the GPWS alarm sounded. Shortly later, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt La Aguada (3,320 meters high) located about 27 km northeast of Valera, some 170 km northeast of Santa Bárbara de Zulia. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 45 occupants were killed.

De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Crashed after takeoff from Urimán Airport for unknown reasons. Both pilots were killed.

Avro 748

Shortly after takeoff from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control, entered a dive and crashed into the sea few km off Macuto. All 47 occupants were killed.

Vickers Viscount

While descending to Porlamar-Del Caribe-General en Jefe Santiago Mariño Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low visibility and heavy rain falls. In accordance with ATC, the crew decided to divert to Cumaná Airport and while completing a turn to change heading, the four engine airplane struck the peak La Gloria located about 10 km northeast of Porlamar Airport. The wreckage was found eight meters below the summit and the copilot, seriously injured, was evacuated to an hospital in Caracas while 47 other occupants were killed. 17 days later, the copilot Ivan Rodolfo Magallanes died from his injuries.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

The aircraft registered YV-C-AFO (c/n 13699) crashed in unknown circumstances (maybe a mislanding) somewhere in Venezuela ? The exact date remains unknown but the aircraft was cancelled from the register in 1973.

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Shortly after takeoff from Canaima Airport, while climbing, the left engine failed. The crew decided to return for an emergency when on final, the airplane stalled and crashed few km from the airfield. None of the 34 occupants survived the crash.

Vickers Viscount

Shortly after takeoff from Maracaibo-La Chinita Airport, while in initial climb, the four engine aircraft went out of control and crashed near the runway end. The airplane was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.

Vickers Viscount

Seven minutes after its takeoff from Mérida-Alberto Carnevalli Airport, while climbing, the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Paramo Los Conejos, about 17 km north of the airfield. 13 occupants were killed, among them a crew member, while 34 other occupants were injured.