Guatemala City - Tegucigalpa

On January 8, 1981 at 12:00 AM, Guatemala City - Tegucigalpa experienced a crash involving Lockheed L-188 Electra, operated by SAHSA - Servicios Aéreos de Honduras SA, with the event recorded near Guatemala City-La Aurora Guatemala.

The flight was categorized as positioning and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Prior to takeoff from Guatemala City to Tegucigalpa, one of the engine failed as well as a generator. Passengers were disembarked and the captain decided to fly to Tegucigalpa on three engines only. Less than one minute after takeoff, while climbing, the pilot reported a critical situation and requested an immediate return. While making a last turn, the airplane lost height and crashed on a residential area located 1,500 meters from the airport, bursting into flames. All six occupants were killed and 38 people on ground were injured. The aircraft and several houses were destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration HR-SAW, MSN 1018, year of manufacture 1958.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 14.5822°, -90.5290°.