Paramaribo – Palumeu

On October 6, 1959 at 12:00 AM, Paramaribo – Palumeu experienced a crash involving Rockwell Aero Commander 520, operated by SLM Surinam Airways - Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij, with the event recorded near Palumeu Sipaliwini.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a plain, valley crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The crew was completing a cargo flight from Paramaribo, carrying a load of building materials to be dropped in Palomeu for the construction of the new Airport. While approaching in mist, the airplane struck a hill and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed. The captain was Vincent Fajks who later gave his name to the airport of Palomeu. The copilot, Rudi Elwin Kappel, co-founder of the National career SLM, gave his name to the airport of Tafelberg.

Aircraft reference details include registration PZ-TAG, MSN 520-64, year of manufacture 1953.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 3.3448°, -55.4416°.