Guatemala City – Flores

On May 11, 1971 at 12:00 AM, Guatemala City – Flores experienced a crash involving Curtiss C-46 Commando, operated by Aviateca, with the event recorded near Guatemala City-La Aurora Guatemala.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

32 people were known to be on board, 5 fatalities were recorded, 27 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 15.6%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 29, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after takeoff from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency after an engine failed. The captain elected to return but the airplane lost height and crashed in a hilly terrain located 24 km south of the capital city. All three crew members and two passengers were killed while 27 other occupants were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration TG-ACA, MSN 121, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 14.5822°, -90.5290°.