Shell – Ambato

On August 6, 1949 at 12:00 AM, Shell – Ambato experienced a crash involving Bristol 170 Freighter, operated by Shell Company of Ecuador, with the event recorded near Salasaca Tungurahua.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

34 people were known to be on board, 34 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 31, passenger fatalities: 31, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The twin engine aircraft was performing a short charter flight from Shell-Mera Airport, in the Pastaza Province, to Ambato-Chachoán Airport, carrying a crew of three and 31 passengers who were going to Ambato to visit their families who suffered an earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people a day before. On final approach from the south in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft hit a hill located in Salasaca, some 11 km short of runway 01 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all 35 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration HC-SBU, MSN 12739, year of manufacture 1946.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately -1.3176°, -78.5766°.