Miami - Bogotá

On December 18, 1966 at 02:55 AM, Miami - Bogotá experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-1649 Starliner, operated by Aerocondor de Colombia - Aerovias Condor, with the event recorded near Bogotá-El Dorado Bogotá Capital District.

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

59 people were known to be on board, 17 fatalities were recorded, 42 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 28.8%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 52, passenger fatalities: 13, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft, which was on wet lease from Passaat Ltd., Miami, U.S.A., to Aerocondor de Colombia, was on a non-scheduled international flight from Miami International Airport, U.S.A., to Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, Colombia. The flight took off from Miami at 2040 hours local time on 17 December and proceeded normally. At 0240 hours local time, on 18 December, it reported over the Bogotá VOR at 12,000 feet and requested from the Air Route Traffic Control Centre authorization to change over to frequency 118.1 mcs and to contact El Dorado Control Tower. This was granted and communications were established with the Control Tower. The flight was given a QNH of 30.14 in. Hg. and was cleared for landing on Runway 12; however, it requested permission to land on Runway 30. It was then instructed to proceed directly to the inner marker for Runway 12, at 8,895 feet (elevation of the airport was 8,364 feet) and if visual to make a circling approach to Runway 30. There were fog patches on and in the vicinity of the aerodrome. The tower communications tape recording revealed that the flight reported proceeding inbound to Runway 12 and that it was instructed to continue its approach to Runway 12 as the fog appeared to be thinning out in that direction. Shortly thereafter the tower asked "how is visibility in the direction of 12" and the flight replied "It is a little better, I think we can make it in a second". At 0753 hours GMT the flight requested permission to land and the tower replied 'I... correct, cleared to land if you can do so, lights are at maximum intensity, let us know if it is necessary to reduce them'. The flight advised the lights were OK and reported on final approach. It was cleared to land and was advised again that the wind was calm and the QNH was 30.14 in. Hg. It acknowledged the message by "Thanks". Some 10 to 20 sec. later an explosion was heard and the control tower called the flight several times in vain. The fire crews were immediately alerted and directed to the threshold of Runway 12. They reported that the wreckage of the aircraft was some 10 to 20 m before the threshold of Runway 12. Four crew members and 13 passengers were killed while 42 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N7301C, MSN 1002, year of manufacture 1957.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 4.6163°, -74.0738°.