San Antonio del Tachira – Maiquetía
Flight / Schedule
San Antonio del Tachira – Maiquetía
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
YV-C-AZQ
MSN
19986
Year of Manufacture
1944
Operator
Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAVDate
March 9, 1961 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Páramo de Turmal Trujillo
Region
South America • Venezuela
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On March 9, 1961 at 12:00 AM, San Antonio del Tachira – Maiquetía experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAV, with the event recorded near Páramo de Turmal Trujillo.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
12 people were known to be on board, 12 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 8, passenger fatalities: 8, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft departed San Antonio del Tachira Airport at 1230LT for a 2 hours and 45 minutes flight to Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport. En route, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Páramo de Turmal. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 12 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was not following the assigned route due to navigation error on part of the crew.
Aircraft reference details include registration YV-C-AZQ, MSN 19986, year of manufacture 1944.
Fatalities
Total
12
Crew
4
Passengers
8
Other
0
Crash Summary
The aircraft departed San Antonio del Tachira Airport at 1230LT for a 2 hours and 45 minutes flight to Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport. En route, while cruising in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Páramo de Turmal. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 12 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was not following the assigned route due to navigation error on part of the crew.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
8
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 12
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
San Antonio del Tachira – Maiquetía
Operator
Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAVFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
South America • Venezuela
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Compania Aeromaritima de Colombia
Dornier Do J Wal
The crew was performing a delivery flight from Willemstad (Curaçao) to Barranquilla. While overflying the Paraguaná Province, in Venezuela, the crew encountered technical problems and made an emergency landing off Punto Fijo. All three occupants were unhurt but the aircraft named 'Pacifico' was seriously damaged and later lost by sea.
Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAV
Fairchild 82
En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing near the Cuyuni River. All occupants escaped unhurt but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Venezuelan Government
Fokker F8
The crew was performing a search flight following the abduction of Captain Cardona Puig by local Indians. Pilot landed with a tail wind and was unable to stop the aircraft on the remaining distance. The aircraft overrun and came to rest in flames in a ditch. The fire was quickly extinguished, all four occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It was recovered in 2001 and ferried to The Netherlands by the Aviadome Musuem.
Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAV
Lockheed 10 Electra
En route from Ciudad Guayana to Maracay, an engine fired. The crew decided to divert to Higuerote Airport. The aircraft failed to arrive and crashed in flames, killing all four occupants.
Colón Development Company
Lockheed 12 Electra Junior
The twin engine aircraft crashed on takeoff from Mene Grande Airfield in unknown circumstances. All three occupants were killed in the accident. Crew: H. A. Davis, pilot. Passengers: J. R. James, A. G. Endell.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Vichy while on a delivery flight. No casualties.