Playa Grande - Quetzaltenango

On November 1, 1998 at 02:30 PM, Playa Grande - Quetzaltenango experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Living Water Teaching Ministries, with the event recorded near Quetzaltenango-Los Altos Quetzaltenango.

The flight was categorized as humanitarian and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

18 people were known to be on board, 11 fatalities were recorded, 7 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 61.1%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 16, passenger fatalities: 9, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was completing a humanitarian flight from Playa Grande to Quetzaltenango on behalf of the Living Water Teaching Ministries owned by Jim and Marion Zirkle. On board were 16 passengers and two pilots, among them doctors and a load of medicines and first aid kits for the victims of hurricane Mitch. The approach was completed in poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and thick fog when the aircraft struck the ground few km from the airport. Seven people were rescued while 11 others were killed, among them Jim Zirkle and his son.

Aircraft reference details include registration N3FY, MSN 20562, year of manufacture 1944.