Quito - Cuenca

On April 23, 1979 at 07:45 AM, Quito - Cuenca experienced a crash involving Vickers Viscount, operated by SAETA - Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aéreos, with the event recorded near Shell Pastaza.

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

57 people were known to be on board, 57 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 52, passenger fatalities: 52, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The four engine airplane departed Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport at 0708LT on a schedule service (EH011) to Cuenca. While cruising at an altitude of 18,000 in clouds, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and disappeared from radar screens. SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned few day slater as no trace of the aircraft nor the 57 occupants was found. The wreckage was located about 5 years later in a mountainous area located in the region of Shell-Mera, province of Pastaza.

Aircraft reference details include registration HC-AVP, MSN 329, year of manufacture 1957.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -1.4999°, -78.0616°.