Narrative:
The Cubana aircraft, on a flight from Miami to Havana, was in, or had just performed, a gentle left bank leveling out on the Havana heading of 197 degrees when it collided with a US Navy Beech SNB-1 Kansan (39939) at an altitude of 4000 feet. The Navy plane was on an instrument training flight out of Key West-NAS. The SNB crashed into the water just west of the Naval Station, but the DC-4 continued for some distance before commencing a left bank which became progressively steeper until the aircraft assumed a nose-down attitude, crashing into the ocean 1,7 miles from the point of the collision.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the crews of both aircraft to maintain sufficient vigilance under VFR conditions to prevent a collision."
Loss of control
» ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.2, Circular 24-AN/21 (93-94)
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 25 April 1951 |
| Time: | 11:49 |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-4 |
| Operator: | Cubana de Aviación |
| Registration: | CU-T188 |
| MSN: | 10368 |
| First flight: | 1944 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 13218 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 34 / Occupants: 34 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 39 / Occupants: 39 |
| Collision casualties: | Fatalities: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | ca 1 km off Key West, FL ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | International Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Miami International Airport, FL (MIA/KMIA), United States of America |
| Havana-Rancho Boyeros Airport (HAV/MUHA), Cuba | |
| Flightnumber: | CU493 |
The Cubana aircraft, on a flight from Miami to Havana, was in, or had just performed, a gentle left bank leveling out on the Havana heading of 197 degrees when it collided with a US Navy Beech SNB-1 Kansan (39939) at an altitude of 4000 feet. The Navy plane was on an instrument training flight out of Key West-NAS. The SNB crashed into the water just west of the Naval Station, but the DC-4 continued for some distance before commencing a left bank which became progressively steeper until the aircraft assumed a nose-down attitude, crashing into the ocean 1,7 miles from the point of the collision.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the crews of both aircraft to maintain sufficient vigilance under VFR conditions to prevent a collision."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Mid air collisionLoss of control
Sources:
» CAB File No. F-104-51» ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest No.2, Circular 24-AN/21 (93-94)
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 Havana-Rancho Boyeros Airport as the crow flies is 376 km (235 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Miami International Airport, FL to Havana-Rancho Boyeros Airport as the crow flies is 376 km (235 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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Douglas DC-4
- 1242 built
- 161st loss
- 89th fatal accident
- 15th worst accident (at the time)
- 31st worst accident (currently)
United States of America- 8th worst accident (at the time)
- 85th worst accident (currently)
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