Veracruz - San Salvador - Managua
Flight / Schedule
Veracruz - San Salvador - Managua
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
412
Date
August 3, 1975 at 07:30 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Crash Location
Punta de Amapala La Unión
Region
Central America • Salvador
Coordinates
13.1587°, -87.8962°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On August 3, 1975 at 07:30 PM, Veracruz - San Salvador - Managua experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Nicaraguayan Air Force - Fuerza Aérea - Ejercito de Nicaragua, with the event recorded near Punta de Amapala La Unión.
The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.
21 people were known to be on board, 21 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 18, passenger fatalities: 18, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. The airplane was completing a charter flight from Veracruz to Managua with an intermediate stop in San Salvador, carrying 18 Mexican actors. While descending to San Salvador-Ilopango Airport, the crew was forced to make a go-around and could not land due to poor weather conditions. The captain decided to divert to an airport located on the coast when few dozen minutes later, the airplane crashed into the Gulf of Fonseca, about 300 meters off Punta de Amapala. All 21 occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration 412.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 13.1587°, -87.8962°.
Fatalities
Total
21
Crew
3
Passengers
18
Other
0
Crash Summary
The airplane was completing a charter flight from Veracruz to Managua with an intermediate stop in San Salvador, carrying 18 Mexican actors. While descending to San Salvador-Ilopango Airport, the crew was forced to make a go-around and could not land due to poor weather conditions. The captain decided to divert to an airport located on the coast when few dozen minutes later, the airplane crashed into the Gulf of Fonseca, about 300 meters off Punta de Amapala. All 21 occupants were killed.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
3
Passengers On Board
18
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 21
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Veracruz - San Salvador - Managua
Flight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
Central America • Salvador
Aircraft Details
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
412
Similar Plane Crashes
Nicaraguayan Air Force - Fuerza Aérea - Ejercito de Nicaragua
Boeing 40
Crashed in unknown circumstances.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Vichy while on a delivery flight. No casualties.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Crashed into the Antillean Sea, off Jamaica, in unknown circumstances. Crew fate remains unknown.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
The crew was performing a personnel transport from Prestwick to RAF Atcham on behalf of the 64th Transport Group. While flying northeast of Denbigh, the pilot encountered cloudy conditions and the visibility was poor. While flying too low, the aircraft hit the north slope of Mt Moel y Gaer located near Bodfari and was destroyed upon impact. A passenger was seriously injured while all 12 other occupants were killed. Crew (64th TG): 1st Lt Charles Edward Williams, pilot, 1st Lt Richard Pazder, navigator, 2nd Lt Theodore F. Furness Jr., 2nd Lt Morris B. Penner. Passengers: Pvt Harry R. Adams, T/Sgt Jonathan B. Akers, T/Sgt Robert E. Anderson, T/Sgt Isreal Gross, T/Sgt Herman A. Hermes, T/Sgt Raymond S. Nash, T/Sgt Jesse L. Patterson, T/Sgt George A. Lesikar.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Crash on landing in unknown circumstances. No casualties.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
En route, the aircraft hit the slope of Blue Mountain located west of Blairstown, in the Kittatinny Mountain Range. The wreckage was located 100 feet from the summit, at an altitude of 1,500 feet, and all seven crew members were killed.