FlightFinder
Check my flight
47 fatalities

Aircraft Crash Off Macuto After Takeoff from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport (YV-45C)

Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar, VenezuelaTakeoff (climb)

On March 3, 1978, an Avro 748 (registration YV-45C) operated by Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAV was involved in an aviation accident near Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar, Venezuela during takeoff. 47 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an artificial horizon failure during climb out. 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)Source recordUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed into the sea near Macuto shortly after takeoff from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport, killing all 47 occupants. The probable cause was an artificial horizon failure during climb-out.

Incident Overview and Outcome An aircraft departed from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport and, while climbing shortly after takeoff, went out of control. The aircraft entered a dive and crashed into the sea a few kilometers off Macuto. All 47 occupants on board were killed. ## Probable Cause The official investigation concluded that the loss of control was believed to be the consequence of an artificial horizon failure during the climb-out phase of the flight. No other specific aircraft type, registration, operator, or date is provided in the source material, and therefore no such details are included in this account.

Related events

Same operator

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 3 Mar 1978 Avro 748 accident near Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar, Venezuela?

An aircraft crashed into the sea near Macuto shortly after takeoff from Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport, killing all 47 occupants. The probable cause was an artificial horizon failure during climb-out.

Were there any fatalities in the 3 Mar 1978 Avro 748 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 47 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 3 Mar 1978 involved an Avro 748, registration YV-45C, operated by Linea Aeropostal Venezolana - LAV, at Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar, Venezuela.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an artificial horizon failure during climb out.

More accident analyses