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| Date: | Wednesday 25 January 2006 |
| Time: | 17:04 UTC |
| Type: |  Cessna A-37B |
| Owner/operator: | Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca (FAG) |
| Registration: | A-432 |
| MSN: | 43417 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near La Libertad, El Peten -
 Guatemala
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | La Aurora AB |
| Investigating agency: | UIA Guatemala |
Crashed in the Rio Escondido area on a routine anti-narcotics surveillance and patrol mission. Both crew killed.
3. CONCLUSIONS.
Having no report from the pilots of mechanical failures during the aircraft's flight, the following could be concluded as possible causes of this accident:
1. The possibility that at a certain moment the Captain might have wanted to break through the cloud layer, performing a steep descent, momentarily forgetting to take into account the altitude and speed of the aircraft.
2. From the last communication made at six thousand five hundred feet, to the time registered on the clock face (could have been one and a half minutes (01:30 minutes)), sufficient time for him to have made a communication and an emergency procedure had there been any problem with the aircraft.
3. The angle of descent was too steep, and no calls were made to the stations that were on frequency, nor to the aircraft in the area, which leads us to think about the possibility of having performed what was mentioned in point number one of these conclusions, as a possible cause.
4. The possible cause of this accident is basically considered to be involuntary human error, caused by a chain of errors that have been determined in this investigation as follows:
4.1 The lack of Resources and Equipment for the training of Pilot personnel and maintenance personnel.
4.2 The aircraft do not have sufficient logistical support for spare parts, etc.
4.3 The oil sampling inspections of the turbines have not been performed for a long time.
4.4 The aircraft are flying with parts that are more than ten and fifteen years past their expiration, due to expired service life.
4.5 They do not have training programs for Pilots, Mechanics and Administrative Personnel.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
Air International MAR 2006, p19
https://www.dgac.gob.gt/wp-content/uploads/ORGANIZACION/UIA/INVESTIGACION%20DE%20ACCIDENTES/INFORMES%20FINALES/2006/03.%20FAG%20A-37B%201654%2025%20ENE%202006.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Dec-2021 13:59 | TB | Added |
| 15-Dec-2021 14:00 | TB | Updated [Date, ] |
| 19-Jul-2025 11:06 | HanayoPlus | Updated [Time, Registration, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 19-Jul-2025 11:07 | ASN | Updated [Accident report, ] |
| 28-Oct-2025 16:57 | TB | Updated [Registration, ] |
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