VIASA - Venezolana Internacional de Aviacion SA

Douglas DC-10

Following an uneventful flight from Caracas, the crew started the descent to Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport but encountered poor weather conditions with ceiling down to 800 feet, heavy rain falls and windshear. The aircraft landed 750-800 metres past the runway threshold and was unable to stop within the remaining distance (runway 35 is 2,800 metres long). It overran and while contacting soft ground, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest 180 metres further. All 123 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the runway surface was wet and the braking action was reduced.

Douglas DC-9

After takeoff from runway 04L at Maracaibo-Grano de Oro Airport, while in initial climb at an altitude of 150 feet, the airplane struck power cables. It lost speed and height then crashed in a huge explosion into the district of La Trinidad located near the airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 84 occupants were killed as well as 71 people on the ground. More than 20 buildings were destroyed and more than 100 people were injured, some of them seriously.

Douglas DC-8

VIASA Flight 897 operated on the route Rome - Madrid (MAD) - Lisbon (LIS) - Santa Maria (SMA) - Caracas (CCS) when it landed at Lisbon at 00:06 UTC. Following a crew change and inspection by KLM maintenance personnel the flight was cleared for a runway 23 departure. The DC-8 took off at 01:15, heading the Capiraca (LS) NDB. At 01:18:37 the aircraft advised that the cloud base was at 3700 ft and changed to the Lisbon area control frequency. It reported again at 01:19 :25 to Lisbon Control that it was "over LS at 19 climbing through FL 60". This message ended with two quickly spoken sentences. This was the last radio contact with the flight. The DC-8 entered a spiral dive to the left during the last message, banking to the left to 90° within about 20 seconds and striking the water after another 15 seconds . During the last 15 seconds, the bank was over-corrected to the right. It struck the sea with a pitch angle of approximately 25° nose down, while it was probably banking 30° to the right.