Fort Lauderdale - Havana
Flight / Schedule
Fort Lauderdale - Havana
Aircraft
Douglas DC-3Registration
N407D
MSN
2244
Year of Manufacture
1940
Operator
Argosy Air LinesDate
September 21, 1978 at 12:43 PM
Type
CRASHFlight 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
Operator
Argosy Air LinesFlight Type
Positioning
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Region / Country
World • World
