Cienfuegos - Caya Coco
Flight / Schedule
Cienfuegos - Caya Coco
Aircraft
Antonov AN-2Registration
CU-T1020
Operator
AerotaxiDate
March 14, 2002 at 04:23 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Santa Clara Villa Clara
Region
Central America • Cuba
Coordinates
22.3989°, -79.9626°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On March 14, 2002 at 04:23 PM, Cienfuegos - Caya Coco experienced a crash involving Antonov AN-2, operated by Aerotaxi, with the event recorded near Santa Clara Villa Clara.
The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
17 people were known to be on board, 17 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 13, passenger fatalities: 13, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet on a charter flight from Cienfuegos to Cayo Coco, the single engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a prairie located near Santa Clara. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 17 occupants were killed, among them 6 Canadians, five British, two German while all four crew members were Cuban. It was reported that the left upper wing detached while the aircraft was encountering strong winds.
Aircraft reference details include registration CU-T1020.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 22.3989°, -79.9626°.
Fatalities
Total
17
Crew
4
Passengers
13
Other
0
Crash Summary
While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet on a charter flight from Cienfuegos to Cayo Coco, the single engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a prairie located near Santa Clara. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 17 occupants were killed, among them 6 Canadians, five British, two German while all four crew members were Cuban. It was reported that the left upper wing detached while the aircraft was encountering strong winds.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
13
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 17
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Cienfuegos - Caya Coco
Operator
AerotaxiFlight Type
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Central America • Cuba
Aircraft Details
Aircraft
Antonov AN-2Registration
CU-T1020
Similar Plane Crashes
Aeromarine Airways
Aeromarine 75
En route from Key West to Havana, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing in the sea, some 32 km north of Havana. Waves were about 10 to 15 feet high and the aircraft named 'Columbus' was filled by water. Four passengers were drowned while all five other occupants were rescued by the crew of the ferry ship HM Flagler. Crew: C. W. Miller, pilot, H. Thompson, mechanic. Passengers: Edwin F. Atkins, Edwin F. Atkins Jr. David Atkins, Grace MacDonald.
Pan American World Airways - PAA
Fokker F10
Shortly after takeoff from a muddy field, while climbing, the aircraft hit a telephone line and crashed in a field. A passenger and a crew member were killed while three other occupants were injured. The aircraft named 'Christopher Columbus' was destroyed.
Cubana de Aviación
Ford 4
On approach to Santiago de Cuba, the pilots encountered poor weather conditions and low visibility. In rain falls, the three engine aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain located near Palma Soriano, north of Santiago. Both pilots and two passengers were killed. First accident involving Cubana, the national carrier of Cuba, since its creation in 1929. Crew: Torres Navarro, pilot, Emeterio Vorilla, copilot.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Crashed in unknown circumstances near the Camagüey Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all Chinese crew were unhurt.
Pan American World Airways - PAA
Sikorsky S-42
At about 1318LT, the pilot taxied to the take-off position. The weather was clear and the ceiling unlimited with a wind estimated to be 20 knots from approximately 100 degree. The water was choppy with no ground swells. With a gradual opening of the throttles to 33 1/2 inches of manifold pressure, the plane appeared to go on the step normally and was making approximately 75 knots. The captain then requested an increase in manifold pressure from 33 1/2 inches to 35 inches and upon attaining a speed estimated as between 78 and 80 knots, the plane left the surface of the water. Captain Williams stated that as the plane rose into the air to a height of 10 or 12 feet, he relaxed back pressure slightly, in order to gain speed, whereupon the plane seemed to want to go back on the water so he pulled back on the yoke. When it became obvious to him that the plane was going to go back on the water anyway, he dropped the nose quickly to "flatten out." After striking, bow first, the plane left the water in a slightly nose-high attitude, rose higher than previously, then returned to the water at a much steeper angle. The third time, the plane rose out of control to a height of approximately 25 feet, and in a steeper angle of climb than previously. It then nosed down at a sharp angle and struck the water violently. The nose of the plane struck the water with such force as to cause the hull to fracture and completely separate at a point just aft of the pilot's compartment. The after portion of the plane, which included passenger compartments A, B, C, and D, pitched forward and came to rest in a nearly inverted position with the forward portion fully submerged. Seventeen passengers were killed while all 14 other occupants were rescued.
Cubana de Aviación
Douglas DC-3
On touchdown, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway to the right, hit a wooden perimeter fence, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog.