Managua - Panama City

While in cruising altitude on a cargo flight from Managua to Panama City, the engine n°3 detached and the n°4 caught fire. The pilot was able to extinguish the fire but unable to feather the propeller. Passengers jettisoned the cargo and eventually, the crew managed to ditch the aircraft in the Río San Carlos near Boca San Carlos. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Flight / Schedule

Managua - Panama City

Aircraft

Douglas DC-6

Registration

YN-BFO

MSN

45324

Year of Manufacture

1958

Date

December 21, 1987 at 02:36 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Boca San Carlos Alajuela (Center-North)

Region

Central America • Costa Rica

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On December 21, 1987 at 02:36 PM, Managua - Panama City experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-6, operated by Aeronica - Aerolineas Nicaraguenses, with the event recorded near Boca San Carlos Alajuela (Center-North).

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

6 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 6 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 3, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. While in cruising altitude on a cargo flight from Managua to Panama City, the engine n°3 detached and the n°4 caught fire. The pilot was able to extinguish the fire but unable to feather the propeller. Passengers jettisoned the cargo and eventually, the crew managed to ditch the aircraft in the Río San Carlos near Boca San Carlos. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration YN-BFO, MSN 45324, year of manufacture 1958.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

While in cruising altitude on a cargo flight from Managua to Panama City, the engine n°3 detached and the n°4 caught fire. The pilot was able to extinguish the fire but unable to feather the propeller. Passengers jettisoned the cargo and eventually, the crew managed to ditch the aircraft in the Río San Carlos near Boca San Carlos. All six occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

3

Passengers On Board

3

Estimated Survivors

6

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 6

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Managua - Panama City

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

Central America • Costa Rica

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Douglas DC-6

Registration

YN-BFO

MSN

45324

Year of Manufacture

1958

Similar Plane Crashes

December 31, 1928 at 12:00 AM

Pan American World Airways - PAA

Loening C-2 Air Yacht

The airplane was engaged in a survey mission over the Canal zone in Panama and departed San José Airport with two passengers and two crew members, a mechanic and a pilot. As the aircraft was too heavy, one passenger was asked to leave and part of the mail was offloaded as well. On the second attempt to takeoff, the airplane lifted off but was caught by downdrafts, struck trees and crashed. All four occupants were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.

May 11, 1930 at 05:00 PM2 Fatalities

Pablo Sídar Escobar

Emsco B.3

The aircraft departed Mexico City on a non stop flight to Buenos Aires with two crew members on board. While flying along the east coast of Costa Rica, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed in the sea off Puerto Limón. SAR operations were initiated and some debris were found three weeks later on local beaches. No trace of both crew members was ever found. Crew: Col Pablo Sídar Escobar, pilot, Lt Carlos Rovirosa Pérez.

June 20, 1937 at 12:00 AM6 Fatalities

Empresa Nacional de Transporte Aéreo - ENTA

Travel Air 6000

Hit trees and crashed in an isolated area located in the Cerro Las Vueltas while completing a flight from San José to San Isidro de El General. As the airplane failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the six occupants was found. The wreckage was found in 1941.

February 25, 1940 at 12:00 AM

TACA International Airlines - Transportes Aéreos Centro Americanos

Ford 5

Crashed in unknown circumstances.

December 4, 1940 at 12:00 PM

TACA International Airlines - Transportes Aéreos Centro Americanos

Ford 5

Crashed in unknown circumstances. Occupant fate unknown.

December 7, 1940 at 12:00 AM

United States Army Air Corps - USAAC

Douglas C-33 (DC-2)

En route, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing after an engine fired in flight. The aircraft crash landed in a pasture and was damaged beyond repair. No casualties.