New York – Montego Bay – Barranquilla – Bogotá

On January 21, 1960 at 12:00 AM, New York – Montego Bay – Barranquilla – Bogotá experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation, operated by Avianca, with the event recorded near Montego Bay Saint James.

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

46 people were known to be on board, 37 fatalities were recorded, 9 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 80.4%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 39, passenger fatalities: 35, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Avianca Flight 671, a Lockheed Super Constellation, took off from New York-Idlewild for a flight to Bogotá via Montego Bay and Barranquilla. En route to Montego Bay, the no. 3 engine malfunctioned and was stopped. The flight diverted to Miami, arriving there at 16:57. A replacement propeller governor was fitted, but during pre-flight checks a further defect in the no. 2 engine was found. This was rectified and the flight departed Miami at 00:12, the copilot being the pilot flying. Upon arrival near Montego Bay, clearance was given for a standard instrument approach. The airfield was sighted following the procedure turn at 2,000 feet and the approach was continued visually. Following a heavy touchdown, the plane bounced and landed back on the runway and skidded down the runway in flames, coming to rest inverted, 1,900 feet from the runway threshold and 200 feet to the left. Five crew members and four passengers survived while 37 other occupants were killed. The airplane was destroyed by fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration HK-177, MSN 4556, year of manufacture 1954.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 18.4901°, -77.9271°.