Shell Mera – Ambato

On May 2, 1974 at 07:30 PM, Shell Mera – Ambato experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by ATESA - Aero Taxis Ecuatorianos, with the event recorded near Baños de Agua Santa Tungurahua.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

25 people were known to be on board, 20 fatalities were recorded, 5 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 80.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. 17 minutes after its takeoff from Shell Mera-Río Amazonas Airport, while flying by night at an altitude of 11,500 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain with its left wing that was partially torn off. Out of control, the airplane crashed near Baños de Agua Santa. The wreckage was found the following morning and five injured people were evacuated while 20 other occupants were killed, among them two crew members.

Aircraft reference details include registration HC-AUC.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -1.3967°, -78.4237°.