Copán – Nuevo Ocotepeque – San Pedro Sula
Flight / Schedule
Copán – Nuevo Ocotepeque – San Pedro Sula
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
XH-SAA
MSN
19667
Year of Manufacture
1944
Date
January 6, 1959 at 11:20 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Copán Copán
Region
Central America • Honduras
Coordinates
14.7467°, -89.1645°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On January 6, 1959 at 11:20 AM, Copán – Nuevo Ocotepeque – San Pedro Sula experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by SAHSA - Servicios Aéreos de Honduras SA, with the event recorded near Copán Copán.
The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
5 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. Shortly after takeoff from Copán Airport, the pilot-in-command decided to continue under VFR when he encountered marginal weather conditions while flying over a mountainous area. Seven minutes after it departed Copán Airport, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Pena Blanca. The wreckage was found few hours later and all five occupants have been killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration XH-SAA, MSN 19667, year of manufacture 1944.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 14.7467°, -89.1645°.
Fatalities
Total
5
Crew
3
Passengers
2
Other
0
Crash Summary
Shortly after takeoff from Copán Airport, the pilot-in-command decided to continue under VFR when he encountered marginal weather conditions while flying over a mountainous area. Seven minutes after it departed Copán Airport, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Pena Blanca. The wreckage was found few hours later and all five occupants have been killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
3
Passengers On Board
2
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 5
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Copán – Nuevo Ocotepeque – San Pedro Sula
Flight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Central America • Honduras
Aircraft Details
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