Hijacking description
Last updated: 24 May 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 01 NOV 1958 |
| Type: | Vickers 755D Viscount |
| Operator: | Cubana de Aviación |
| Registration: | CU-T603 |
| C/n / msn: | 91 |
| First flight: | 1956 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 16 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 17 / Occupants: 20 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 3 km (1.9 mls) off Preston Airport (PST) (Cuba)
 |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA), United States of America |
| Varadero Airport (VRA/MUVR), Cuba | |
| Flightnumber: | 495 |
Cubana flight CU495 departed Miami at 22:00, estimating an arrival at Varadero of 22:49. The Viscount didn't arrive at it's destination and was later found out to have crashed into Bahia de Nipe.
Newspapers at the time reported that the flight was being commandeered to Preston Airport (PST), over 600 km southeast of Varadero (VRA). Preston was located in an area controlled by rebels. In November 1958, during the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Casto, Varadero was still in hands of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot was trying to land at Preston Airport when the aircraft ran out of fuel on final approach and loss of control followed." Sources:
» The Milwaukee Sentinel - Nov 3, 1958
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Miami International Airport, FL to Varadero Airport as the crow flies is 326 km (204 miles).
Distance from Miami International Airport, FL to Varadero Airport as the crow flies is 326 km (204 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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Vickers Viscount
Cuba- worst accident (at the time)
- 7th worst accident (currently)