Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 27 September 1949
Aircraft Type: Douglas C-54A-1-DO (DC-4)
Owner/operator: Flota A‚rea Mercante Argentina – FAMA
Registration Number: LV-ABI
Location: near Castilla, BA – ÿ Argentina
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 27
Component Affected: Oxygen pumpOxygen pump
Category: Accident
Narrative
A Douglas DC-4, LV-ABI, crashed following an in-flight fire during a return flight to Mor¢n Airport in Buenos Aires, Ecuador, following a mercy mission to assist earthquake victims. The flight was en route in good weather, approximately 1,200 meters altitude, and the crew reported an estimated arrival time of 20 minutes. A loud bang triggered a fire originating from an oxygen pump leak, rapidly escalating into a fire that spread throughout the aircraft.A Douglas DC-4, LV-ABI, crashed following an in-flight fire during a return flight to Mor¢n Airport in Buenos Aires, Ecuador, following a mercy mission to assist earthquake victims. The flight was en route in good weather, approximately 1,200 meters altitude, and the crew reported an estimated arrival time of 20 minutes. A loud bang triggered a fire originating from an oxygen pump leak, rapidly escalating into a fire that spread throughout the aircraft.

Description

The Douglas DC-4, LV-ABI, crashed following an in-flight fire. The airplane was returning from a mercy mission to help victims of a recent earthquake in Ecuador. Among the passengers were doctors, nurses, assistants, and government officials. At 18:45 the flight was en route in good weather conditions passing the town of Castilla, in the province of Buenos Aires, at an altitude of 1,200 meters, when the crew reported estimating to arrive at Mor¢n Airport in 20 minutes. Suddenly, there was a loud bang in the cockpit, caused by a leak in an oxygen pump which started a small fire. Commander Reg£naga, who was at the back of the passenger cabin, rushed to get the fire extinguisher but failed to put out the fire, which began to spread. The copilot was in control of the aircraft and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft made a gear up landing while the fire spread as the fuel tanks were compromised in the crash.

Source of Information

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lL4qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p3wEAAAAIBAJ&hl=es&pg=7184%2C300587, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-54_Skymaster, https://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com/p/aeroposta-flota-historica.html, https://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com/2010/04/boeing-b-17e-fortress-lv-rto-y-lv-rtp.html, http://www.histarmar.com.ar/AVIACION/DC4-LV-ABI.htm, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lL4qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p3wEAAAAIBAJ&hl=es&pg=7184%2C300587, http://www.santafe.gov.ar/hemerotecadigital/diario/5998/?page=1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lL4qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p3wEAAAAIBAJ&hl=es&pg=7184%2C300587, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-54_Skymaster, https://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com/p/aeroposta-flota-historica.html, https://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com/2010/04/boeing-b-17e-fortress-lv-rto-y-lv-rtp.html, http://www.histarmar.com.ar/AVIACION/DC4-LV-ABI.htm, https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lL4qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p3wEAAAAIBAJ&hl=es&pg=7184%2C300587, http://www.santafe.gov.ar/hemerotecadigital/diario/5998/?page=1

Primary Cause

Oxygen pump leak leading to a fire.Oxygen pump leak leading to a fire.

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