Narrative:
A Cessna 208 Caravan I operated by Aéreo Ruta Maya was destroyed in an accident near Cabañas, Zacapa, Guatemala. Three of the fourteen occupants survived the accident.
The airplane had taken off from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport (GUA) at 09:23 and was heading for El Estor. Some 18 minutes into the flight the pilot declared an emergency, stating they were 38 miles from La Aurora. The airplane could not maintain altitude and impacted terrain during an attempted forced landing. A post impact fire broke out.
PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from Spanish):
The sudden engine failure during flight, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, the aircraft impacting unsuitable terrain at a descent angle. The engine power loss was caused by the fracture of more than one compressor turbine blade, the impact of the blades in the inner parts general causing damage on the internal mechanism of the turbine station. The gas generator was rotating at low speed with the propeller feathered on the first impact with the ground.
The high concentration of fire in the compressor section and in the combustion chamber, possibly indicate that several attempts were made on the engine to cause the compressor to continue working after losing the blades.
Forced landing outside airport
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 24 August 2008 |
| Time: | 09:41 |
| Type: |  Cessna 208 Caravan I |
| Operator: | Aéreo Ruta Maya |
| Registration: | TG-JCS |
| MSN: | 20800327 |
| First flight: | |
| Engines: | 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 12 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 14 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near La Puente, Cabañas, Zacapa ( Guatemala)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Int'l Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport (GUA/MGGT), Guatemala |
| El Estor Airport, Guatemala |
A Cessna 208 Caravan I operated by Aéreo Ruta Maya was destroyed in an accident near Cabañas, Zacapa, Guatemala. Three of the fourteen occupants survived the accident.
The airplane had taken off from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport (GUA) at 09:23 and was heading for El Estor. Some 18 minutes into the flight the pilot declared an emergency, stating they were 38 miles from La Aurora. The airplane could not maintain altitude and impacted terrain during an attempted forced landing. A post impact fire broke out.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE (translated from Spanish):
The sudden engine failure during flight, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, the aircraft impacting unsuitable terrain at a descent angle. The engine power loss was caused by the fracture of more than one compressor turbine blade, the impact of the blades in the inner parts general causing damage on the internal mechanism of the turbine station. The gas generator was rotating at low speed with the propeller feathered on the first impact with the ground.
The high concentration of fire in the compressor section and in the combustion chamber, possibly indicate that several attempts were made on the engine to cause the compressor to continue working after losing the blades.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Forced landing outside airport
Sources:
» Ocho muertos en accidente aéreo en Zacapa (Prensa Libre, 24-8-2008)Photos
Video, social media
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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 Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport to El Estor Airport as the crow flies is 161 km (101 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport to El Estor Airport as the crow flies is 161 km (101 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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