Flores – Guatemala City
Flight / Schedule
Flores – Guatemala City
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
0961
Date
October 27, 1951 at 07:00 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Military
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena) Petén
Region
Central America • Guatemala
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On October 27, 1951 at 07:00 PM, Flores – Guatemala City experienced a crash involving Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), operated by Guatemalan Air Force - Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca, with the event recorded near Flores-Mundo Maya (Santa Elena) Petén.
The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
32 people were known to be on board, 30 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 93.8%.
Crew on board: 5, crew fatalities: 5, passengers on board: 27, passenger fatalities: 25, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after takeoff from Flores Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about 2 km from the airport. All five crew members and 25 passengers were killed while two others were seriously injured. Crew: Maj Enrique Pérez, pilot, José Angel Escobar, Miguel Deleón, Casiano Castañeda, Enrique Menéndez.
Aircraft reference details include registration 0961.
Fatalities
Total
30
Crew
5
Passengers
25
Other
0
Crash Summary
Shortly after takeoff from Flores Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a wooded area located about 2 km from the airport. All five crew members and 25 passengers were killed while two others were seriously injured. Crew: Maj Enrique Pérez, pilot, José Angel Escobar, Miguel Deleón, Casiano Castañeda, Enrique Menéndez.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
5
Passengers On Board
27
Estimated Survivors
2
Fatality Rate
93.8%
Known people on board: 32
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Flores – Guatemala City
Flight Type
Military
Flight Phase
Takeoff (climb)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Central America • Guatemala
Aircraft Details
Aircraft
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)Registration
0961
Similar Plane Crashes
Compania Nacional de Aviacion de Guatemala
Ford 5
Went out of control during take off run at Sololá Airport. Veered off runway and came to rest. All occupants escaped uninjured but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Compania Nacional de Aviacion de Guatemala
Kreutzer K-5 Air Coach
The crew was flying to Sololá with an engineer of the company and spare parts to try to repair the Ford 5 that crashed a day earlier at Sololá Airport. On approach in poor visibility due to bad weather conditions, the three engine aircraft hit a mountain slope and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed.
Panagra - Pan American-Grace Airways
Douglas DC-2
On approach to La Aurora Airport in Guatemala City, while on a mail flight from San Salvador, the twin engine aircraft hit a mountain slope located near the city of San José Pinula, southeast of the airport. All three occupants were killed. Crew: A. Paschal, pilot, Al Palmer, copilot, J. P. Neyman, radio navigator.
Private French
Caudron C.635 Simoun
The crew was performing a flight from New York to Punta Arenas, south Chile. While taking off from Guatemala City Airport, the aircraft was unable to gain height, stalled and crashed in a field past the runway end. Both aviators were injured and aircraft was destroyed. Crew: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, pilot, André Prévot, pilot.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
On landing at Rio Mato Airport, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. While all ten occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Vichy while on a delivery flight. No casualties.