Miami – Panama City – Quito

On April 14, 1970 at 07:24 AM, Miami – Panama City – Quito experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Ecuatoriana - Compañia Ecuatoriana de Aviacion, with the event recorded near Miami-Intl Florida.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was being operated as an international cargo flight by Compania Ecuatoriana de Aviacion. The accident occurred during the initial climb, following an instrument takeoff on Runway 27R at Miami International Airport. The flight was en route,from Miami to Panama City, Panama, the first leg of a flight which was to terminate at Quito, Ecuador. The two pilots, the only occupants of the aircraft, were killed, and the aircraft was demolished by impact and post impact ground fire. The crew first requested a takeoff clearance at 0621 but because fog reduced visibility to one-eighth mile, the tower controller delayed issuance of the clearance until 0722 when the visibility was reported to be one quarter mile, the visibility minimum the pilot had stated he needed for takeoff. The crew's acknowledgment of this clearance was the last recorded transmission from the flight. Following liftoff, the aircraft was observed flying in a level flight attitude at an altitude of approximately 50 feet near the western end of Runway 27R, which was 10,500 feet long. The landing gear was retracted. As the observers watched the aircraft, they saw the nose drop slightly, check, and then the aircraft descended to earth. Impact occurred 279 feet north and 230 feet beyond the western end of the takeoff runway. The aircraft continued 89 feet beyond the initial impact point, struck a concrete abutment and burned.

Aircraft reference details include registration HC-AON, MSN 10608, year of manufacture 1945.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 25.7950°, -80.2867°.