Fort Lauderdale - Havana

The airplane departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport runway 09L at 1129LT on a positioning flight to Havana, Cuba, to pick up 21 US citizens. While flying over the Florida Strait at an altitude of 6,000 feet in relative good weather conditions, the crew encountered difficulties to maintain radio contact with Cuban ATC. Thus, messages were relayed by the crew of another airplane flying higher. Eight minutes after the radio contact was properly established, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended three days later, on Sep 24, as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.

Flight / Schedule

Fort Lauderdale - Havana

Aircraft

Douglas DC-3

Registration

N407D

MSN

2244

Year of Manufacture

1940

Date

September 21, 1978 at 12:43 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Atlantic Ocean All World

Region

World • World

Narrative Report

On September 21, 1978 at 12:43 PM, Fort Lauderdale - Havana experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-3, operated by Argosy Air Lines, with the event recorded near Atlantic Ocean All World.

The flight was categorized as positioning and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 4 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: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The airplane departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport runway 09L at 1129LT on a positioning flight to Havana, Cuba, to pick up 21 US citizens. While flying over the Florida Strait at an altitude of 6,000 feet in relative good weather conditions, the crew encountered difficulties to maintain radio contact with Cuban ATC. Thus, messages were relayed by the crew of another airplane flying higher. Eight minutes after the radio contact was properly established, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended three days later, on Sep 24, as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.

Aircraft reference details include registration N407D, MSN 2244, year of manufacture 1940.

Fatalities

Total

4

Crew

4

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The airplane departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport runway 09L at 1129LT on a positioning flight to Havana, Cuba, to pick up 21 US citizens. While flying over the Florida Strait at an altitude of 6,000 feet in relative good weather conditions, the crew encountered difficulties to maintain radio contact with Cuban ATC. Thus, messages were relayed by the crew of another airplane flying higher. Eight minutes after the radio contact was properly established, the airplane disappeared from radar screens and crashed into the sea. SAR operations were initiated but eventually suspended three days later, on Sep 24, as no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was found.

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Fort Lauderdale - Havana

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

World • World

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Douglas DC-3

Registration

N407D

MSN

2244

Year of Manufacture

1940