Investigation Summary
Millon Air Flight 406 was a scheduled cargo flight transporting frozen fish to Miami. Shortly after departing Runway 23, the aircraft suffered a critical engine failure and was unable to maintain altitude. The aging Boeing 707, which had a history of maintenance issues including documented corrosion and cracks, clipped the bell tower of the La Dolorosa Catholic church. It then impacted a residential district, destroying dozens of homes. The investigation highlighted a pattern of safety violations by the operator, Millon Air, which had received over 50 FAA warnings in the decade preceding the crash. The airline voluntarily ceased operations following the disaster.
Final Conclusions
The primary cause of the accident was an engine failure during the initial climb phase. The aircraft's poor mechanical condition and the operator's history of maintenance deficiencies were significant contributing factors. The high ground fatality count was a result of the crash occurring in a populated area immediately adjacent to the airport.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney JT3D Engines
The aircraft was powered by four engines; a failure in one during the critical takeoff phase led to the loss of control.
Airframe Structure
FAA records noted the airframe was in poor condition with documented corrosion and cracks.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Boeing 707-323C, serial number 19582/639, built in 1967.
- 02The total fatality count is reported inconsistently; while some sources cite 34 total (4 crew and 30 on the ground), official records from ASN and NLARENAS cite 23 ground fatalities for a total of 27.
- 03The cargo consisted primarily of frozen fish and flowers destined for the United States.
- 04FAA records indicated the aircraft had known issues with corrosion and structural cracks prior to the flight.
- 05The same aircraft had suffered a nose-gear-up landing in Miami only eight months earlier due to hydraulic failure.
- 06The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was found to be inoperative after the crash, leading to its inclusion in lists of unusable flight recorders.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Cessation of Operations
Following the accident and the revelation of its extensive history of maintenance violations, Millon Air voluntarily ceased all flight operations.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Operator Safety Record
Reference ↗Millon Air had a significant history of safety and maintenance violations, including over 50 FAA warnings and $49,000 in fines in the decade prior to the crash. The airline had also been involved in another fatal crash in Guatemala City just a year earlier.
Inoperative Flight Data Recorder
Reference ↗The investigation was hampered by the fact that the aircraft's Flight Data Recorder was inoperative at the time of the crash, a fact that has been highlighted in historical lists of unusable flight recorders.