Guayaquil - Cuenca
Flight / Schedule
Guayaquil - Cuenca
Aircraft
Vickers ViscountRegistration
HC-BEM
MSN
183
Year of Manufacture
1956
Date
December 29, 1977 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar Azuay
Region
South America • Ecuador
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On December 29, 1977 at 12:00 AM, Guayaquil - Cuenca experienced a crash involving Vickers Viscount, operated by SAN Ecuador - Servicios Aéreos Nacionales, with the event recorded near Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar Azuay.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.
24 people were known to be on board, 24 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 20, passenger fatalities: 20, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew filed an IFR flight plan from Guayaquil to Cuenca. After passing over the city of Puna, he decided to cancel the flight plan and continued under VFR mode. While descending to Cuenca, pilots encountered low clouds and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located few km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 24 occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration HC-BEM, MSN 183, year of manufacture 1956.
Fatalities
Total
24
Crew
4
Passengers
20
Other
0
Crash Summary
The crew filed an IFR flight plan from Guayaquil to Cuenca. After passing over the city of Puna, he decided to cancel the flight plan and continued under VFR mode. While descending to Cuenca, pilots encountered low clouds and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the four engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located few km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 24 occupants were killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
20
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 24
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Guayaquil - Cuenca
Flight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
South America • Ecuador
Aircraft Details
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