Buenos Aires - Howard - San Salvador

On November 3, 1965 at 07:30 AM, Buenos Aires - Howard - San Salvador experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Argentinian Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Argentina, with the event recorded near Puerto Limón Limón (Caribbean Coast).

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

69 people were known to be on board, 69 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 9, crew fatalities: 9, passengers on board: 60, passenger fatalities: 60, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft was completing a flight from Buenos Aires to the US with intermediate stops at Howard AFB and San Salvador, carrying 60 cadets of the Argentinian Air Force and nine crew members. After his departure from Howard AFB, while overflying the Caribbean Sea along the Costa Rican coast, the captain reported to ATC that the engine number three was on fire and elected to divert to the nearest airport. This was the last radio contact with the crew as shortly later, the four engine aircraft crashed into the sea off Puerto Limón. Few life vest and debris were found floating on water and none of the 69 occupants survived.

Aircraft reference details include registration TC-48, MSN 35983, year of manufacture 1945.