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| Date: | Friday 27 June 2008 |
| Time: | 13:15 |
| Type: |  Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II |
| Owner/operator: | Guatemala Navy |
| Registration: | TG-HOF |
| MSN: | 45457 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | El Pacayal, Purulhá, Baja Verapaz -
 Guatemala
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Flores-Santa Elena Airport (FRS/MGFL) |
| Guatemala City-La Aurora Airport (GUA/MGGT) | |
| Investigating agency: | SVIA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The helicopter initially took off from La Aurora International Airport, bound for Mundo Maya"Airport in Santa Elena/Flores, Petén, for an executive flight, carrying the Minister of the Interior Carlos Vinicio Gómez Ruiz.
The helicopter took off at 12:12 hours, bound for Guatemala City, When the helicopter had been in flight for 1 hour and 2 minutes over the village of El Pacayal, municipality of Purulhá, Baja Verapaz, it crashed to the ground, causing the total destruction of the helicopter and the death of the crew members and passengers.
M) PROBABLE CAUSE OR CAUSES
The flight in VMC could not be continued due to inadequate weather.
The lack of foresight regarding the necessary fuel to deal with unforeseen circumstances.
The pilot's overload as a consequence of concerns added by the weather, the possible emergencies mentioned, and the human factors previously highlighted, which, together with the lack of good visual references when flying between cloud banks over mountains, produced in the pilot false sensations of depth and terrain inclination when observed through the clouds and gaps, limiting his reaction capacity and skill.
The large "flare" maneuver suddenly performed over a 60° slope, belatedly noticed, and the consequent loss of lift with no possibility of escape.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
AP, Reuters
https://elperiodico.com.gt/es/20080628/pais/59362
https://www.dgac.gob.gt/wp-content/uploads/ORGANIZACION/UIA/INVESTIGACION%20DE%20ACCIDENTES/INFORMES%20FINALES/2008/07.%20Informe%20Final%20TG-HOF%2027JUN2008.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Jun-2008 03:05 | Bleiente | Added |
| 28-Jun-2008 03:11 | harro | Updated |
| 28-Jun-2008 09:53 | signaal | Updated |
| 01-Nov-2008 23:16 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 03-Jul-2024 19:25 | ASN | Updated [Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 19-Jul-2025 11:03 | HanayoPlus | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
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