ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Grand Caravan HP-1357APP Arenal Volcano
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 26 August 2000
Time:12:10
Type:Silhouette image of generic C208 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Operating for:Servicios Aéreos Nacionales - SANSA
Leased from:AeroPerlas
Registration: HP-1357APP
MSN: 208B0709
First flight: 1998
Total airframe hrs:792
Engines: 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Total:Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Arenal Volcano (   Costa Rica)
Crash site elevation: 1450 m (4757 feet) amsl
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Fortuna Airport (FON/MRAN), Costa Rica
Destination airport:Tamarindo Airport (TNO/MRTM), Costa Rica
Flightnumber:1644
Narrative:
The Cessna Caravan took off from San Juan at 11:38, for a flight to Tamarindo (TNO). An intermediate stop at La Fortuna was made at 11:55 to drop off a Japanese tourist. The flight left La Fortuna again at 12:05 for a 35-minute flight to Tamarindo. The aircraft collided with the active 5380 feet (1650 m) high Arenal volcano, at around 656 feet (200 m) below the crater.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from Spanish):
The Unidad de Investigación de Accidentes Aéreos (UIA), determined that the probable cause was the pilot's unsafe flying and failure to maintain adequate separation (vertical and horizontal) with mountainous terrain and not remain in VMC. Moreover, lack of timely corrective action by the flight crew allowed the aircraft to fly in a controlled manner and unnoticed into the ground.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
1. Loss of situational awareness and attention from the crew.
2. Inadequate monitoring and enforcement by the pilot not flying.
3. Lack of application or adherence to standard operating procedures established by SANSA.
4. Using flight procedures not written or approved.
5. Lack of culture regarding operational safety.

Classification:
VFR flight in IMC
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain

Sources:
» Boletín Informativo 2000 / DGAC, Unidad de Investigación de Accidentes
» Video of the crash scene


Photos

photo of Cessna-208B-Grand-Caravan-HP-1357APP
accident date: 26-08-2000
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: HP-1357APP
 

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 Fortuna Airport to Tamarindo Airport as the crow flies is 139 km (87 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

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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