Night Approach Accident at Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport (N494PA)

Incident Overview and Outcome After completing an uneventful flight from New York-JFK, the crew initiated a night approach to Maiquetía-Simon Bolivar Airport in Caracas. During the final approach, the aircraft struck the water surface and crashed into the sea 18.4 km north of the airport. Few debris were found floating on the water, and all 51 occupants were killed in the accident. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, date, or operator. ## Probable Cause and Contributing Factors The official investigation concluded that the crew likely suffered an optical illusion, mistaking the lights of the city of Maiquetía for the airport lights. This error probably led to a premature descent, causing the aircraft to crash into the sea. The lack of visibility was identified as a probable contributing factor to the accident.