Miami - Cali

On December 20, 1995 at 09:38 PM, Miami - Cali experienced a crash involving Boeing 757-200, operated by American Airlines, with the event recorded near Buga Valle del Cauca.

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

163 people were known to be on board, 159 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 97.5%.

Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 8, passengers on board: 155, passenger fatalities: 151, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. At about 18:34 EST, American Airlines Flight 965 took off from Miami for a flight to Cali. At 21:34, while descending to FL200, the crew contacted Cali Approach. The aircraft was 63 nm out of Cali VOR (which is 8nm South of the airport) at the time. Cali cleared the flight for a direct Cali VOR approach and report at Tulua VOR. Followed one minute later by a clearance for a straight in VOR DME approach to runway 19 (the Rozo 1 arrival). The crew then tried to select the Rozo NDB (Non Directional Beacon) on the Flight Management Computer (FMC). Because their Jeppesen approach plates showed 'R' as the code for Rozo, the crew selected this option. But 'R' in the FMC database meant Romeo. Romeo is a navaid 150nm from Rozo, but has the same frequency. The aircraft had just passed Tulua VOR when it started a turn to the left (towards Romeo). This turn caused some confusion in the cockpit since Rozo 1 was to be a straight in approach. 87 Seconds after commencing the turn, the crew activated Heading Select (HDG SEL), which disengaged LNAV and started a right turn. The left turn brought the B757 over mountainous terrain, so a Ground Proximity (GPWS) warning sounded. With increased engine power and nose-up the crew tried to climb. The spoilers were still activated however. The stick shaker then activated and the aircraft crashed into a mountain at about 8900 feet (Cali field elevation being 3153 feet).

Aircraft reference details include registration N651AA, MSN 24609, year of manufacture 1991.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 3.9015°, -76.2967°.