Investigation Summary
The flight was a multi-leg charter carrying international tourists from the Angel Falls gateway of Canaima to the Caribbean island of Margarita. After refueling at Ciudad Bolivar, the aircraft took off at approximately 18:15 local time. Shortly into the climb, the crew experienced a critical failure of one engine. Although the pilot notified air traffic control of a return to base, no formal emergency was declared over the radio. During the turn to align with the runway, the aircraft lost altitude and control, crashing into the El Peru district and Abobo shantytown. The impact caused a wing to detach and strike several homes, igniting a massive fire. The aircraft, a Douglas C-47A (c/n 10200), had a long operational history: it originally served with the USAF before being sold to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB 2024). It later entered civilian service in Brazil with Rico Linhas Aereas as PT-KXR before being acquired by RUTACA in 1983. The investigation was hampered by the lack of flight data or cockpit voice recorders, as the 1943-built airframe was not equipped with them. The crash led to an immediate grounding of all DC-3 and C-47 operations in Venezuela by the National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC).
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by a loss of control following an engine failure for unknown reasons. While the specific mechanical trigger for the engine fire and failure could not be determined due to the extent of the fire damage and lack of recorders, the resulting stall during the emergency return maneuver was the terminal event. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and post-crash fire.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Engines
The twin radial engines powered the C-47; one suffered a catastrophic failure and fire shortly after takeoff.
Flight Recorders
The aircraft lacked FDR and CVR systems, which were not required for this aircraft type and age under then-current Venezuelan regulations.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was 58 years old at the time of the accident, having been manufactured in 1943.
- 02One person on the ground was killed, and three others (a mother and two children) suffered severe burns.
- 03The aircraft was not equipped with a Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).
- 04The passenger manifest included tourists from the Netherlands (5), Italy (4), the United States (3), Canada (3), Hungary (2), and Austria (1), along with 6 Venezuelans (4 crew and 2 passengers).
- 05The crash resulted in the permanent suspension of DC-3 and C-47 operations in Venezuela the following day.
Safety Actions & Advisories
DC-3 Fleet Grounding
On January 26, 2001, the day after the crash, the Venezuelan National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) suspended all DC-3 and C-47 operations nationwide.
RUTACA Operational Suspension
Authorities ordered RUTACA Airlines to suspend all operations pending a rigorous inspection of equipment and personnel.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Disputed Maintenance History
Reference ↗The pilot's brother claimed the captain had complained of four recent emergency landings due to engine trouble; however, the President of RUTACA denied these claims, asserting the aircraft had a clean safety record since 1977.