Rome – Madrid – Lisbon – Santa Maria – Caracas

On May 30, 1961 at 01:20 AM, Rome – Madrid – Lisbon – Santa Maria – Caracas experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-8, operated by VIASA - Venezolana Internacional de Aviacion SA, with the event recorded near Lisbon-Portela de Sacavém Estremadura - Lisbon District.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

61 people were known to be on board, 61 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 14, crew fatalities: 14, passengers on board: 47, passenger fatalities: 47, other fatalities: 0.

VIASA Flight 897 operated on the route Rome - Madrid (MAD) - Lisbon (LIS) - Santa Maria (SMA) - Caracas (CCS) when it landed at Lisbon at 00:06 UTC. Following a crew change and inspection by KLM maintenance personnel the flight was cleared for a runway 23 departure. The DC-8 took off at 01:15, heading the Capiraca (LS) NDB. At 01:18:37 the aircraft advised that the cloud base was at 3700 ft and changed to the Lisbon area control frequency. It reported again at 01:19 :25 to Lisbon Control that it was "over LS at 19 climbing through FL 60". This message ended with two quickly spoken sentences. This was the last radio contact with the flight. The DC-8 entered a spiral dive to the left during the last message, banking to the left to 90° within about 20 seconds and striking the water after another 15 seconds . During the last 15 seconds, the bank was over-corrected to the right. It struck the sea with a pitch angle of approximately 25° nose down, while it was probably banking 30° to the right.

Aircraft reference details include registration PH-DCL, MSN 45615, year of manufacture 1961.