Cubana de Aviación accidents and incidents

Cubana de Aviación, the national carrier of Cuba,[1] has been involved in 51 incidents and accidents between 1934 and 2018, 27 of which had one fatality or more, with 708 fatalities. Included are ground and collision fatalities and hijackings.

List

Date Location Aircraft Tail number Aircraft damage Fatalities Description Refs
10 December 1934 CubaPalma Soriano Ford Trimotor NM-7 W/O 4/8 Crashed into mountain in heavy rain. [2]
25 November 1950 CubaHolguín DC-3A CU-T7 W/O 0 Crashed in fog at Frank País Airport. [3]
25 April 1951 United StatesKey West DC-4 CU-T188 W/O 43/43 The aircraft was due to operate an international scheduled Miami–Havana passenger service as Flight 493 when it experienced a mid-air collision at about 4,000 feet (1,200 m), shortly after it departed Miami International Airport, with a US Navy SNB-1 Kansan. There were 39 occupants aboard the Cuban airliner, whereas the military aircraft had four people on board. All of them died in the accident. [4]
6 December 1952  Bermuda DC-4 CU-T397 W/O 37/41 Crashed into the sea, 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) northeast of Kindley Field, during initial climbout. The aircraft was due to operate the last leg of an international scheduled Madrid–Santa Maria–Bermuda–Havana passenger service, with Bermuda being a refuelling stop. [5]
17 May 1954 CubaHavana Curtiss C-46A CU-C556 W/O 0 Landing gear collapsed on landing at Rancho-Boyeros Airport. [6]
9 April 1958 MexicoMérida Vickers Viscount Unknown Unknown 0/13 Hijacked to Mexico. [7]
1 November 1958 CubaPreston Viscount 755D CU-T603 W/O 17/20 The aircraft was due to operate an international scheduled Miami–Varadero passenger service as Flight 495, but did not arrive to the destination. It apparently ran out of fuel, crashing into the sea in Nipe Bay, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) off Preston Airport. The aircraft was apparently hijacked to Preston (now Guatemala, Cuba). [8]
29 October 1960 United StatesKey West DC-3 Unknown Minor 1/37 The aircraft was initially scheduled to fly a Havana–Nueva Gerona passenger service as Flight 905, but it was hijacked shortly after takeoff from José Martí International Airport by the copilot, who forced the captain at gunpoint to fly to Key West, Florida; the air marshal was killed during a shootout. Nine people were involved in the hijacking and all nine requested political asylum in the US along with two additional passengers. [9]
8 December 1960 CubaCienfuegos Unknown Unknown Unknown 1/17 Shortly after the aircraft departed Cienfuegos Airport bound for Havana, five hijackers attempted to take control to get it diverted to the United States. A gunfire on board killed one occupant. The aircraft crash-landed. [10]
15 April 1961 CubaSantiago Airport DC-3A CU-T172 W/O 0/0 Destroyed by a United States air raid at the beginning of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. [11]
15 April 1961 Unknown DC-3A-228C CU-T138 W/O 0/0 Destroyed by a United States air raid at the beginning of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. [12]
9 August 1961 CubaNear Havana Curtiss C-46 Unknown Substantial 3/53 Shortly after takeoff from Havana, five hijackers attempted to enter the flight deck. Two guards tried to stop the hijackers and shots were fired, killing the captain, one hijacker and a guard. The co-pilot made an emergency landing in a sugar cane field, collapsing the undercarriage. Four hijackers then escaped. [13]
27 March 1962 CubaOff Santiago de Cuba Il-14 CU-T819 W/O 22/22 Crashed into the sea shortly after departing Santiago de Cuba bound for Havana. [14]
27 March 1966 CubaHavana Il-18B CU-T831 Unknown 2 The aircraft was operating a Santiago de Cuba–Havana flight when it was hijacked by the flight engineer and the plane was demanded to be flown to Florida, but the pilot flew the aircraft to Havana instead. When the hijacker saw an Aeroflot aircraft on the tarmac, he realized he had been tricked and shot the pilot dead, and attempted to take off. The copilot shut down the engines. The hijacker jumped out of the aircraft and fled, but was caught days later. [15]
10 July 1966 Cubanear Cienfuegos Il-18V CU-T830 W/O 2/93 Force-landed due to multiple engine failures. [16]
9 February 1967 MexicoMexico City An-12BP CU-T827 W/O 10/10 Crashed on approach to Benito Juárez International Airport. The aircraft was completing a Havana–Mexico City cargo service. [17]
11 July 1971 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown 1 Two passengers attempted to hijack the aircraft, operating a Havana–Cienfuegos service. One passenger was killed when a hand grenade detonated. [18]
14 May 1973 CubaJosé Martí International Airport An-24V CU-T876 W/O 3 Crashed on landing in bad weather due to crew error. The aircraft was completing a Nueva Gerona–Havana passenger service as Flight 707. [19]
18 March 1976 CubaNear Havana An-24B CU-T879 W/O 5/5 Both aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision. The An-24B was on a training flight, while the DC-8 was on a scheduled Montreal–Havana passenger flight as Flight 455. The first aircraft crashed, killing all five occupants on board; the DC-8 landed safely, despite having the outer portion of a wing and an engine sheared off. [20][21]
DC-8-43 CU-T1200 W/O 0/29
6 October 1976 BarbadosBridgetown DC-8-43 CU-T1201 W/O 73/73 Lost height and crashed into the sea, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) west of Grantley Adams International Airport, following an explosion minutes after takeoff. The aircraft was due to operate an international scheduled Bridgetown–Kingston passenger service as Flight 455. [22]
3 February 1980 CubaBaracoa Yak-40 CU-T1219 W/O 1/37 Crashed on landing at Baracoa Airport. [23]
13 May 1980 CubaOff Varadero Il-14 CU-T822[nb 1] W/O 3/3 Entered a spin and crashed during a training flight. [24]
19 January 1985 CubaSan José de las Lajas Il-18D CU-T899 W/O 38/38 Lost control and crashed while en route an international scheduled Havana–Managua passenger service. [25]
11 March 1987 CubaHavana An-24RV CU-T1262 Unknown 1/48 Before operating a Havana–Nueva Gerona passenger service as Flight 706, the aircraft was hijacked by three passengers who demanded to be flown to the United States. The hijackers struggled with the passengers and in the ensuing chaos, a hand grenade detonated, injuring 13 people. A policeman on board the aircraft shot dead one hijacker and arrested the other two. [26][27]: 21 
3 September 1989 CubaHavana Il-62M CU-T1281 W/O 150/150 Crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff from José Martí International Airport in adverse weather conditions. All 126 occupants aboard the aircraft died in the accident, along with another 24 people on the ground. The aircraft was due to operate a non-scheduled international Havana–Milan–Cologne passenger service as Flight 9046. [28]
23 March 1990 CubaSantiago de Cuba An-26 CU-T1436 W/O 4/46 Overran the runway following an aborted takeoff at Antonio Maceo Airport as Flight 7406. [29]
24 October 1990 CubaSantiago de Cuba Yak-40S2 CU-T1202 W/O 11/11[nb 2] Crashed on approach to Antonio Maceo Airport, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) short of the runway . The aircraft was completing a domestic non-scheduled Camagüey–Santiago de Cuba passenger service as Flight 2886. [30][31]
14 September 1991 MexicoMexico City Tu-154B-2 CU-T1227 W/O 0/112 Overran the runway on landing at Benito Juárez International Airport. The aircraft was completing an international scheduled Havana–Mexico City passenger service as Flight 464. [32]
2 January 1992 CubaVaradero Mi-8 CU-H407 Undamaged 0/34 Commandeered by German Pompa and compatriots, flown to an area outside the base where 30 passengers were picked up, and flown to Tamiami Airport in southern Florida, US, where all crew and passengers sought asylum [33]
11 July 1997 CubaSantiago de Cuba An-24RV CU-T1262 W/O 44/44 Shortly after departing from Antonio Maceo Airport, at 500 feet (150 m), the aircraft banked to the left and descended until it crashed into the sea, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) off the airport. Due to operate a domestic scheduled Santiago–Havana passenger service as Flight 787. [34][35]
29 August 1998 EcuadorQuito Tu-154M CU-T1264 W/O 80 Aborted takeoff at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, 800 metres (2,600 ft) of the runway end, overrunning it. Seventy occupants of the aircraft lost their lives along with another ten casualties on the ground. Due to operate the first leg of an international scheduled Quito–Guayaquil–Havana passenger service as Flight 389. [36][37]
21 December 1999 GuatemalaGuatemala City DC-10-30 F-GTDI W/O 18 Inbound from Havana as Flight 1216, the aircraft –leased from AOM French Airlines and operating a non-scheduled service– overran the runway on landing at La Aurora Airport and continued down a slope before coming to rest in a residential area. Sixteen occupants of the aircraft and two people on the ground lost their lives in the accident. [38][39]
25 December 1999 VenezuelaBejuma Yak-42D CU-T1285 W/O 22/22 Crashed on approach to Arturo Michelena International Airport. Was completing an international scheduled Havana–Valencia passenger service as Flight 310. [40][39][41]
14 June 2003 CubaNueva Gerona An-24RV CU-T1295 W/O 0/52 Following touchdown at Rafael Cabrera Airport, the aircraft ran off the runway because of insufficient hydraulic pressure. [42]
20 April 2008 Dominican RepublicSanto Domingo Il-62M CU-T1283 W/O 0/117 Made an emergency landing at Las Américas International Airport. The aircraft had departed from the same airport bound for Havana on an international scheduled passenger service as Flight 201. At 25,000 feet (7,600 m), an uncontained failure in the inner port engine caused the fuel line for the outer one to get damaged as well. A small fire started, while debris damaged the fuselage and a decompression occurred, prompting the crew to return to the airport of departure. The aircraft landed safely, but the airframe was damaged beyond economical repair. [43]
18 May 2018 CubaHavana 737-200 XA-UHZ W/O 112/113 Crashed upon takeoff from José Martí International Airport in Havana, Cuba as a domestic flight Flight 972 from Havana to Holguin. There were 107 passengers and 6 crew aboard, the latter being of Mexican nationality, due arrangement (wet lease) with Global Air, owner of the aircraft. The investigation found that the pilots miscalculated the aircraft's weight. [44][40][45]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Also reported as CU-T322.
  2. ^ The number of casualties for this crash varies, depending upon the source: it was stated that the number of occupants was eleven and all of them died,[30] and that there were ten casualties, out of 36 occupants of the aircraft.[31]

References

  1. ^ "First direct Brazil flight to take off in July". Cuba Standard. 29 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Flag carrier Cubana de Aviación is resuming direct flights to Brazil with a Havana-São Paulo route on July 10, the tourism ministry said in a press release.
  2. ^ Accident description for NM-7 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 19 August 2014.
  3. ^ Accident description for CU-T7 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2015.
  4. ^ Accident description for CU-T188 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 August 2012.
  5. ^ Accident description for CU-T397 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 August 2012.
  6. ^ Accident description for CU-C556 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 August 2012.
  7. ^ Hijack description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 January 2016.
  8. ^ Hijacking description for CU-T603 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 10 August 2012.
  9. ^ Hijacking description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 10 August 2012.
  10. ^ Hijacking description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 August 2012.
  11. ^ Accident description for CU-T172 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 May 2018.
  12. ^ Accident description for CU-T138 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  13. ^ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Curtiss C-46 registration unknown Havana". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  14. ^ Accident description for CU-T819 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  15. ^ Hijacking description for CU-T831 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
  16. ^ Accident description for CU-T830 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 May 2018.
  17. ^ Accident description for CU-T827 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 18 September 2012.
  18. ^ Hijacking description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  19. ^ Accident description for CU-T876 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 May 2018.
  20. ^ Accident description for CU-T1283 at the Aviation Safety Network
  21. ^ Accident description for Accident at the Aviation Safety Network
  22. ^ Criminal description for CU-T1201 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 24 May 2018.
  23. ^ Accident description for CU-T1219 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 5 September 2012.
  24. ^ Accident description for CU-T822 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 May 2018.
  25. ^ Accident description for CU-T899 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 28 August 2012.
  26. ^ Hijacking description for CU-T1262 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 24 August 2012.
  27. ^
  28. ^ Accident description for CU-T1281 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  29. ^ Accident description for CU-T1436 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2015.
  30. ^ a b Accident description for CU-T1202 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 17 August 2012.
  31. ^ a b "1990 World Airline Safety – Fatal accidents: Non-scheduled passenger flights". Flight International: 34. 16–22 January 1991. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  32. ^ Accident description for CU-T1227 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 17 August 2012.
  33. ^ Rohter, Larry (3 January 1992). "Cuban Pilot Defects With 33 Others in a Daring Helicopter Flight". New York Times.
  34. ^ Accident description for CU-T1262 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 14 August 2012.
  35. ^ "An-24 'engine failure' kills 44 in Cuba". Flightglobal. Flight International. 23 July 1997. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
  36. ^ Accident description for CU-T1264 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 11 August 2012.
  37. ^ "Cubana Tu-154 overrun kills 77". Flightglobal. Flight International. 9 September 1998. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013.
  38. ^ Accident description for F-GTDI at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  39. ^ a b Learmount, David (11 January 2000). "Two Cubana crashes add to sad year-end toll". London: Flightglobal. Flight International. Archived from the original on 29 August 2014.
  40. ^ a b Broderick, Sean (18 May 2018). "Cuban charter airliner crashes near Havana Airport". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 21 May 2018.
  41. ^ Accident description for CU-T1285 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 9 August 2012.
  42. ^ Accident description for CU-T1295 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 13 August 2012.
  43. ^ Accident description for CU-T1283 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 8 August 2012.
  44. ^ Accident description for XA-UHZ at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 21 May 2018.
  45. ^ "Plane crashes in Havana with more than 100 on board". CNN. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.