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Miami – Quito – Guayaquil

The DC-8 landed at Quito at 06:52 after a flight from Miami. Shortly after scheduled departure time of 09:00 members of the Ecuadorian Federation of Aircrews (FEDTA) requested and were granted permission to board the aircraft and discuss subjects relating to the aircrews' strike. The four Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos crew members didn't comply with the strike, after consulting AECA management. After a delay of about two hours, the n°4 engine was started. The crew then ordered the aircraft to be towed to the runway, perhaps in order to hasten the departure. The other engines were started during the towing operation. Pre-takeoff checks were not (or improperly) carried out. This caused the 0.5° horizontal stabilizer nose-up to go undetected, while 8° nose-up is required for takeoff. The DC-8 thus barely climbed after a ground run, extended to 48 meters beyond the runway end. The horizontal stabilizer struck the wooden structure of the ILS aerial, 83 meters past the runway 35 end. The aircraft then crashed into houses, 460 meters past the runway end and 35 meters to the right of the extended centreline. A total of 25 houses were demolished. All four crew members as well as 49 people on the ground were killed. At least 50 other people on the ground were injured, some of them seriously.

Flight / Schedule

Miami – Quito – Guayaquil

Aircraft

Douglas DC-8

Registration

HC-BKN

MSN

45754

Year of Manufacture

1965

Date

September 18, 1984 at 11:04 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

City

Crash Location

Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City) Pichincha

Region

South America • Ecuador

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On September 18, 1984 at 11:04 AM, Miami – Quito – Guayaquil experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-8, operated by Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos, with the event recorded near Quito-Mariscal Sucre (City) Pichincha.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a city crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 53 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 1325.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 49.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The DC-8 landed at Quito at 06:52 after a flight from Miami. Shortly after scheduled departure time of 09:00 members of the Ecuadorian Federation of Aircrews (FEDTA) requested and were granted permission to board the aircraft and discuss subjects relating to the aircrews' strike. The four Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos crew members didn't comply with the strike, after consulting AECA management. After a delay of about two hours, the n°4 engine was started. The crew then ordered the aircraft to be towed to the runway, perhaps in order to hasten the departure. The other engines were started during the towing operation. Pre-takeoff checks were not (or improperly) carried out. This caused the 0.5° horizontal stabilizer nose-up to go undetected, while 8° nose-up is required for takeoff. The DC-8 thus barely climbed after a ground run, extended to 48 meters beyond the runway end. The horizontal stabilizer struck the wooden structure of the ILS aerial, 83 meters past the runway 35 end. The aircraft then crashed into houses, 460 meters past the runway end and 35 meters to the right of the extended centreline. A total of 25 houses were demolished. All four crew members as well as 49 people on the ground were killed. At least 50 other people on the ground were injured, some of them seriously.

Aircraft reference details include registration HC-BKN, MSN 45754, year of manufacture 1965.

Fatalities

Total

53

Crew

4

Passengers

0

Other

49

Crash Summary

The DC-8 landed at Quito at 06:52 after a flight from Miami. Shortly after scheduled departure time of 09:00 members of the Ecuadorian Federation of Aircrews (FEDTA) requested and were granted permission to board the aircraft and discuss subjects relating to the aircrews' strike. The four Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos crew members didn't comply with the strike, after consulting AECA management. After a delay of about two hours, the n°4 engine was started. The crew then ordered the aircraft to be towed to the runway, perhaps in order to hasten the departure. The other engines were started during the towing operation. Pre-takeoff checks were not (or improperly) carried out. This caused the 0.5° horizontal stabilizer nose-up to go undetected, while 8° nose-up is required for takeoff. The DC-8 thus barely climbed after a ground run, extended to 48 meters beyond the runway end. The horizontal stabilizer struck the wooden structure of the ILS aerial, 83 meters past the runway 35 end. The aircraft then crashed into houses, 460 meters past the runway end and 35 meters to the right of the extended centreline. A total of 25 houses were demolished. All four crew members as well as 49 people on the ground were killed. At least 50 other people on the ground were injured, some of them seriously.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

4

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

1325.0%

Known people on board: 4

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Miami – Quito – Guayaquil

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

City

Region / Country

South America • Ecuador

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Douglas DC-8

Registration

HC-BKN

MSN

45754

Year of Manufacture

1965

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