Status: | |
Date: | Tuesday 7 September 1976 |
Type: | de Havilland Canada U-1A Otter (DHC-3) |
Operator: | Fuerza Aérea Nicaragua |
Registration: | 1011 |
MSN: | 121 |
First flight: | 1956 |
Crew: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4 |
Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
Total: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4 |
Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
Location: | La Piragua ( Nicaragua)
|
Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | ? |
Destination airport: | ? |
Narrative:Two de Havilland Canada Otters of the Nicaraguan Air Force (1011 and 1015) were on a patrol flight and planned to land at a small, short and rough airstrip at La Piragua, where there was a radio station.
The first Otter to land was 1011, which touched down hard. The aircraft crashed half way down the airstrip, killing one crewman. The second Otter, 1015, was unable to land and chose an unused airfield close by. On landing it sustained some damage and injuries to its crew.
A Sikorsky CH-34C helicopter (518) was dispatched to the site to fly the crew members back to Managua. The helicopter exploded shortly after takeoff from La Piragua, killing all 13 on board.
Otter 1015 was later recovered and repaired.
Sources:
» La Nacion 9 September 1976, p25A
»
dhc-3archive.com
Photos
Video, social media
La Nacion 9 September 1976, p25A
http://www.dhc-3archive.com/DHC-3_121.html
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.