NC7120

On March 5, 1934 at 12:00 AM, NC7120 experienced a crash involving Ford 4, operated by Morgan Air Lines, with the event recorded near Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Francisco Morazán.

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

12 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 11 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 8.3%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 10, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

Shortly after takeoff from Tegucigalpa-Toncontin Airport, while in initial climb, the three engine airplane collided with power lines, stalled and crashed in a ravine located about 300 metres past the runway end. An Italian passenger tried to escape and jumped out the cabin but fall in the ravine with his kid in his arms. The father was killed and his kid was injured. All 10 other occupants escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It is believed that the takeoff was initiated with a tailwind component and the left main wheel or the left wing impacted an electric power line during initial climb. Some debris such as an engine (third image) were found 83 years later by a depth of 65 feet. Crew: Eugene 'Smokey' Rhoads, pilot, Mr. Holmberg, mechanic. Source and photos via Amado Aguiluz Ferrari, Coronel José Alfredo San Martín and Carlos Rosa Mejía.

Aircraft reference details include registration NC7120, MSN 4-AT-034, year of manufacture 1928.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 14.0522°, -87.2381°.