Hamburg – Frankfurt – Paris – Madrid – Lisbon – Ponta Delgada – Hamilton – Bogotá

On August 9, 1954 at 02:40 AM, Hamburg – Frankfurt – Paris – Madrid – Lisbon – Ponta Delgada – Hamilton – Bogotá experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-749 Constellation, operated by Avianca, with the event recorded near Lajes Azores Islands.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

30 people were known to be on board, 30 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 9, crew fatalities: 9, passengers on board: 21, passenger fatalities: 21, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was performing a transatlantic flight from Hamburg to Bogotá with intermediates stops at Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, Ponta Delgada and Hamilton. While approaching Ponta Delgada by night, the crew was informed about fog at destination and as the visibility was below minima, the captain decided to divert to Lajes. After a uneventful refueling stop, the crew took off from Lajes Airport, bound for Hamilton, Bermuda, at 0237LT. Three minutes after its departure from runway 34, while climbing, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and burst into flames about 9 km southwest of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 30 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration HK-163, MSN 2664, year of manufacture 1951.