Investigation Summary
The flight was a multi-leg service originating in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with a stop in Santiago de Cuba. It was operating in a high-pressure environment as it was the last departure from Santiago de Cuba before the airport closed due to the approach of Hurricane Tomas. While cruising at FL200, the aircraft entered a zone of severe icing. Data indicated the Total Air Temperature dropped to -1°C and airspeed bled off from 196 knots to 156 knots. Although the crew activated the anti-icing systems, they did not immediately descend due to conflicting traffic reported by Havana Control. The aircraft eventually stalled and entered a series of violent rolls before plunging into a 90-degree left bank and a steep dive. Investigators determined that while the icing was extreme, the crew's inadequate response to the deteriorating flight parameters led to the final loss of control.
Final Conclusions
The Cuban Civil Aviation authorities concluded the accident was caused by a combination of severe meteorological conditions and pilot error. The aircraft encountered severe icing that compromised its aerodynamic performance. The crew failed to maintain adequate airspeed for the conditions and made errors in managing the aircraft's flight path once the stall sequence began. No technical malfunctions were found in the aircraft's systems or engines.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
AeroCaribbean 883: A Flight Into Tragedy — An investigation into the crash of Aero Caribbean Flight 883, analyzing how severe atmospheric icing and crew response led to the loss of an ATR 72-212 over Cuba in 2010.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Ángel Villa Martínez
First Officer
Luis Lima Rodríguez
Systems & Failure Modes
De-icing Boots
Pneumatic boots on the leading edges of the wings and stabilizers designed to crack and shed ice accumulation.
AOA Indicator
The Angle of Attack sensor which triggered a warning light as the aircraft approached a stall due to ice-induced lift loss.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was the last flight authorized to depart Santiago de Cuba before the airport closed for Hurricane Tomas.
- 02The ATR 72-212 had accumulated approximately 25,000 flight hours and 34,500 cycles at the time of the crash.
- 03The passenger manifest included citizens from 11 different countries, including 10 Argentinians and 7 Mexicans.
- 04At the time of the occurrence, the crash was the deadliest involving an ATR 72, tied with American Eagle Flight 4184.
- 05Investigators found no evidence of technical failure or mechanical malfunction prior to the impact.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Crew Resource Management Training
The investigation emphasized the need for improved pilot training regarding the recognition and recovery from severe icing encounters in ATR aircraft.