Narrative:
A Vickers 785D Viscount passenger plane, registered HK-1058, was destroyed in an accident at Cerro El Retiro, near Cúcuta, Colombia. All 44 on board were killed. The pilot lost control of the plane when the left tailplane and elevator separated during a VMC descent through 7000 feet.
The failure had been caused by a fatigue fracture in the upper part of the tailplane. This fracture had started at the outer hole of the steel fitting at the spar flange where it joins the fuselage.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Aircraft structure - tail unit, involving the failure in flight of the tailplane spar, so that the left tailplane and elevator became detached and control of the aircraft was lost.
Loss of control
accident date: 08-06-1974
type: Vickers 785D Viscount
registration: HK-1058
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 8 June 1974 |
| Time: | 14:30 |
| Type: |  Vickers 785D Viscount |
| Operator: | Aerolíneas TAO |
| Registration: | HK-1058 |
| MSN: | 380 |
| First flight: | 1958-05-09 (16 years 1 months) |
| Engines: | 4 Rolls-Royce Dart 510 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 38 / Occupants: 38 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 44 / Occupants: 44 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 16 km (10 mls) W of Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport (CUC) ( Colombia)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport, Colombia |
| Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport (CUC/SKCC), Colombia | |
| Flightnumber: | 514 |
A Vickers 785D Viscount passenger plane, registered HK-1058, was destroyed in an accident at Cerro El Retiro, near Cúcuta, Colombia. All 44 on board were killed. The pilot lost control of the plane when the left tailplane and elevator separated during a VMC descent through 7000 feet.
The failure had been caused by a fatigue fracture in the upper part of the tailplane. This fracture had started at the outer hole of the steel fitting at the spar flange where it joins the fuselage.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: Aircraft structure - tail unit, involving the failure in flight of the tailplane spar, so that the left tailplane and elevator became detached and control of the aircraft was lost.
Classification:
Tail failureLoss of control
Sources:
» ICAO Circular 132-AN/93 (134-138)Follow-up / safety actions
FAAA issued 1 Airworthiness Directive
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Photos
accident date: 08-06-1974
type: Vickers 785D Viscount
registration: HK-1058
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 Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport to Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport as the crow flies is 113 km (71 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
Distance from Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport to Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport as the crow flies is 113 km (71 miles).
Accident location: Exact; as reported in the official accident report.
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.
languages: 
Colombia
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Vickers Viscount
- 445 built
- 101st loss
- 50th fatal accident
- 9th worst accident (at the time)
- 15th worst accident (currently)
Colombia- 4th worst accident (at the time)
- 16th worst accident (currently)
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