5 fatalities

Antonov An-24 Crashes After Mid-Air Collision with Cubana DC-8 (CU-T879)

Havana-José Martí (Rancho Boyeros), CubaFlight

On March 18, 1976, an Antonov AN-24 (registration CU-T879) operated by Cubana de Aviación was involved in an aviation accident near Havana-José Martí (Rancho Boyeros), Cuba in flight. 5 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

On a local training mission, an Antonov An-24 collided with a Cubana Douglas DC-8 over Havana, killing all five on the An-24. The DC-8 landed safely with all 29 occupants uninjured but was damaged beyond repair.

Accident

A twin-engine Antonov An-24, operating a local training mission, collided with a Cubana Douglas DC-8-43 while both aircraft were on approach to Havana-José Martí-Rancho Boyeros Airport. The DC-8, registered CU-T1200, was arriving from Montreal with 13 passengers and a crew of 16 on board. The collision caused the An-24 to lose control, dive into the ground, and crash in flames. All five occupants of the An-24 were killed.

Aftermath

Following the collision, the crew of the DC-8 continued the approach and landed without further problems. All 29 occupants on the DC-8 escaped uninjured. However, the aircraft sustained substantial damage: engine number 1 was torn off, along with a portion of the left wing. The DC-8 was considered damaged beyond repair.

Aircraft Information

The Antonov An-24 was a twin-engine turboprop used for the training mission. The Cubana Douglas DC-8-43 was a four-engine jet airliner with registration CU-T1200. No other details about the aircraft or flight numbers were provided in the source.