Paz de Ariporo – Tame – Arauca – Cúcuta

On November 2, 1973 at 12:00 AM, Paz de Ariporo – Tame – Arauca – Cúcuta experienced a crash involving Handley Page HPR-7 Dart Herald, operated by Lineas Aéreas La Urraca, with the event recorded near Villavicencio Meta.

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

16 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 10 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 37.5%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 12, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. When landing at Arauca (AUC) after a flight from Paz de Ariporo (PZA) and Tame (TME) a loss of hydraulic fluid was noted on the left main gear hydraulic system. A split hose was changed before the aircraft left for a flight to Cúcuta. Some 5 minutes after takeoff a burning smell and smoke were noticed in the cockpit. It appeared then that the undercarriage was still extended, though the undercarriage indicators in the cockpit didn't show this. The crew elected to divert to Villavicencio and made two low runs over the field to obtain instructions from the chief of maintenance and the airline's instructor. While on final approach to runway 22 the pilot was told by the instructor on the ground to feather the no. 1 engine as a precautionary measure. After passing the threshold at low altitude, power was reapplied and the aircraft turned slowly to the left, lost altitude and crashed in flames. Source: ASN

Aircraft reference details include registration HK-718, MSN 150, year of manufacture 1961.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 4.1487°, -73.6214°.