Incident Overview
Date: Wednesday 21 January 1959
Aircraft Type: Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando
Owner/operator: Linea Expresa Bolivar – LEBCA
Registration Number: YV-C-LBI
Location: 32 km NE of Mrida –
ÿ Venezuela
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Component Affected: The Curtiss C-46 aircraft.The Curtiss C-46 aircraft.
Category: Accident
A Curtiss C-46 aircraft crashed into P ramo La Culata at an altitude of 13500 feet after encountering a cloud-covered El Callejon pass en route from Merida to Lagunillas and Maracaibo. The aircraft made a 180-degree turn over Ejido and continued on a 30-degree heading, despite remaining in clouds.A Curtiss C-46 aircraft crashed into P ramo La Culata at an altitude of 13500 feet after encountering a cloud-covered El Callejon pass en route from Merida to Lagunillas and Maracaibo. The aircraft made a 180-degree turn over Ejido and continued on a 30-degree heading, despite remaining in clouds.
Description
The Curtiss C-46 departed Merida at 15:05 for a flight to Lagunillas and Maracaibo. En route at 7000 feet it appeared that the El Callejon pass was cloud-covered. The aircraft made a 180deg turn over Ejido, started climbing and continued on a 30deg heading. Still in clouds, the aircraft crashed into the P ramo La Culata at an altitude of 13500 feet. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The accident was due to flying the aircraft at insufficient altitude over an area apparently unfamiliar to the pilot.”
Primary Cause
Flying the aircraft at insufficient altitude over an area apparently unfamiliar to the pilot.Flying the aircraft at insufficient altitude over an area apparently unfamiliar to the pilot.Share on:
