Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 21 January 1960
Aircraft Type: Lockheed L-1049E-55 Super Constellation
Owner/operator: Avianca
Registration Number: HK-177
Location: Montego Bay Airport (MBJ) – ÿ Jamaica
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 37 / Occupants: 46
Component Affected: Port wingPort wing
Category: Accident
Avianca Flight 671, a Lockheed Super Constellation, experienced a significant incident during its flight to Bogot  via Montego Bay. An engine malfunction at the 3rd position resulted in a diversion to Miami, followed by a replacement propeller governor. During pre-flight checks, a further defect was identified in the 2nd engine, which was rectified. The flight then departed Miami at 00:12, with the pilot as the commanding officer. Upon arrival near Montego Bay, clearance was granted for a standard instrument approach. The airfield was sighted following the procedure turn at 2000 feet, and the approach was continued visually. Upon touchdown, the plane bounced and landed inverted, 1900 feet from the runway threshold and 200 feet to the left. The probable cause was a heavy landing resulting from a structural failure in the port wing due to excessive stress transmitted through the undercarriage, exceeding the aircraft’s design limits.Avianca Flight 671, a Lockheed Super Constellation, experienced a significant incident during its flight to Bogot  via Montego Bay. An engine malfunction at the 3rd position resulted in a diversion to Miami, followed by a replacement propeller governor. During pre-flight checks, a further defect was identified in the 2nd engine, which was rectified. The flight then departed Miami at 00:12, with the pilot as the commanding officer. Upon arrival near Montego Bay, clearance was granted for a standard instrument approach. The airfield was sighted following the procedure turn at 2000 feet, and the approach was continued visually. Upon touchdown, the plane bounced and landed inverted, 1900 feet from the runway threshold and 200 feet to the left. The probable cause was a heavy landing resulting from a structural failure in the port wing due to excessive stress transmitted through the undercarriage, exceeding the aircraft’s design limits.

Description

Avianca Flight 671, a Lockheed Super Constellation, took off from New York-Idlewild for a flight to Bogot  via Montego Bay and Barranquilla. En route to Montego Bay, the no. 3 engine malfunctioned and was stopped. The flight diverted to Miami, arriving there at 16:57. A replacement propeller governor was fitted, but during pre-flight checks a further defect in the no. 2 engine was found. This was rectified and the flight departed Miami at 00:12, the co-pilot being the pilot flying. Upon arrival near Montego Bay, clearance was given for a standard instrument approach. The airfield was sighted following the procedure turn at 2000 feet and the approach was continued visually. Following a heavy touchdown, the plane bounced and landed back on the runway and skidded down the runway in flames, coming to rest inverted, 1900 feet from the runway threshold and 200 feet to the left. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The adoption of a final approach path resulting in a heavy landing during which a major structural failure occurred in the port wing in the immediate vicinity of Station 80 joint caused by the transmission of stresses through the undercarriage in excess of those which would be encountered if the rate of sink of the aircraft at the time of impact had been controlled within the designed maximum of 10ft per second. The primary responsibility for the safety of an aircraft and its complement is vested in the captain. However, there is evidence of mitigating circumstances in that the errors of judgement that precipitated the disaster reflect some deficiency of knowledge which should have been instilled in the training and flight proficiency checking of the pilots of HK-177. A measure of responsibility for the accident must, therefore, devolve on the supervisory and advisory authorities for the overall conduct of the operation.”

Primary Cause

Structural failure in the port wing due to excessive stress transmitted through the undercarriage during a heavy landing.Structural failure in the port wing due to excessive stress transmitted through the undercarriage during a heavy landing.

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