On September 26, 1980, a Beechcraft H18 (registration N9724Y) operated by National Bumper Exchange was involved in an aviation accident near Paraguachón, Colombia in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crew was forced to land after running out of fuel during an unauthorized flight. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A twin-engine airplane was forced to perform an emergency landing in Paraguachón following the depletion of its fuel supply during an unauthorized flight.
What happened
During a flight involving the transport of contraband, a twin-engine aircraft experienced a critical loss of power. While traveling near the border between Colombia and Venezuela, the crew encountered fuel exhaustion, which necessitated an immediate attempt to land the plane safely.
The aircraft subsequently crash-landed in the vicinity of Paraguachón. Despite the impact, both occupants of the plane managed to exit the wreckage without sustaining any injuries. The incident resulted in zero fatalities and zero injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the event determined that the primary reason for the emergency descent was the total depletion of fuel reserves during the mission. The impact of the crash-landing caused significant structural damage to the airframe, rendering the aircraft a total loss.
Probable cause
The crew was forced to land after running out of fuel during an unauthorized flight.