Investigation Summary
The disaster occurred during a high-profile military review in the Santa Ana district of Bogotá, attended by the outgoing Colombian President Alfonso López Pumarejo and his successor Eduardo Santos. Lieutenant César Abadia, flying a Curtiss Hawk II (a variant of the F11C Goshawk), was engaged in a series of low-altitude stunts for the assembled crowd. During a maneuver intended to pass between two major grandstands, the aircraft's wing impacted the diplomatic stand. The resulting loss of control sent the biplane through the roof of the presidential stand and into the densely packed crowd. The impact and subsequent fire caused a high number of casualties among both civilians and military personnel. While the presidential party escaped injury, several notable figures were present, including future president Misael Pastrana Borrero, who was among the injured.
Final Conclusions
The accident was attributed to pilot error. The investigating authorities determined that Lieutenant César Abadia miscalculated the clearance required to safely navigate the aircraft between the two grandstands during a low-level stunt. The collision with the diplomatic stand's structure initiated the catastrophic sequence of events.
Video Analysis
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Systems & Failure Modes
Curtiss Hawk II
An export version of the Curtiss F11C Goshawk, a single-seat biplane fighter and bomber used for aerobatic displays and military operations.
Interesting Facts
- 01The crash killed 53 people, including 52 spectators on the ground and the pilot.
- 02More than 100 people on the ground sustained injuries.
- 03Outgoing President Alfonso López Pumarejo and President-elect Eduardo Santos were in the presidential stand but were not injured.
- 04Future Colombian President Misael Pastrana Borrero was among the wounded.
- 05The aircraft involved was a Curtiss Hawk II, a biplane used by the Colombian Air Force.