Cubana de Aviación — Flight CU310

On Christmas Day 1999, a Cubana de Aviacion Yakovlev Yak-42D crashed into the San Luis mountain range during an approach to Valencia, Venezuela, killing all 22 people on board. The flight had originally been bound for Caracas but was diverted to Valencia due to severe flooding and mudslides in the capital region. After holding for approximately 40 minutes, the aircraft was cleared to descend for its final approach when it impacted high terrain approximately 7.4 miles from the airport.

Aircraft

Yakovlev Yak-42D

Registration

CU-T1285

Phase

Cause

Souls on Board

Fatalities

Origin → Dest

José Martí International Airport, Havana, Cuba → Arturo Michelena International Airport, Valencia, Venezuela

Report

Investigation Summary

Cubana Flight 310 was operating a scheduled international service from Havana to Caracas. Upon reaching Venezuelan airspace, the crew was informed that Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas was closed due to catastrophic mudslides and flooding that had devastated the region. The flight diverted to Arturo Michelena International Airport in Valencia, where it entered a holding pattern for approximately 40 minutes. At 20:18 local time, while maneuvering for the approach, the crew reported they were descending from 8,000 feet to 4,000 feet. Shortly after this transmission, the aircraft struck the San Luis mountain range at an altitude of approximately 1,400 meters. The wreckage was located about 13 kilometers west of Valencia. The investigation classified the accident as a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), occurring in an area of significant geographical landmarks during adverse weather conditions that had already forced the closure of the primary destination.

Final Conclusions

The accident was determined to be a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The aircraft impacted the San Luis mountain range while the crew was executing a descent for approach to Valencia Airport. Contributing factors included the diversion necessitated by regional natural disasters (flooding and mudslides) and the extended period spent in a holding pattern prior to the final descent into mountainous terrain.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Airframe & Maintenance

Engines

Lotarev D-36

Systems & Failure Modes

Yakovlev Yak-42D Navigation Suite

The aircraft was equipped for international IFR flight, but the crew failed to maintain adequate terrain clearance while descending in a mountainous region.

Interesting Facts

01The aircraft was a Yakovlev Yak-42D manufactured in 1991 with MSN 4520424914068.
02The flight was diverted from Caracas to Valencia due to the 1999 Vargas tragedy (flooding and mudslides).
03The crash site was located approximately 13 kilometers west of Valencia and 12 kilometers east of Bejuma.
04All 12 crew members and 10 passengers were killed in the impact.
05The aircraft struck the San Luis mountain range, which features peaks up to 1,400 meters.