What happened
During the takeoff roll from runway 06 at Havana-José Martí Airport, an aircraft operated by Cubana de Aviacíon under a wet lease from Global Air (Damojh Aéreolíneas) experienced a critical loss of control. As the landing gear was being retracted during the initial climb phase, the aircraft pitched up to an extreme angle of 30 degrees. Following this nose-up attitude, the plane rolled toward the right and began a descent. The aircraft subsequently struck railway tracks and power lines before breaking apart in a field situated less than one kilometer east of the airport.
The accident resulted in 110 fatalities and left three passengers with serious injuries. The deceased included 102 Cuban nationals, six members of the crew from Mexico, and two Argentinians. Of the three survivors, two succumbed to their injuries in the days following the crash.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was caused by incorrect weight and balance calculations performed during flight preparation. The crew determined a Center of Gravity (CofG) of 17.4%, whereas the actual value was 28.5%. Because this figure was near the rear limit of 29%, the horizontal stabilizer trim was incorrectly set to 5 3/4 units instead of the required 3 1/4 units, leading to the excessive pitch-up immediately after liftoff.
Additional contributing factors identified in the investigation include:
- Discrepancies in crew training protocols
- Errors regarding weight and balance computations
- Substandard operational procedures during flight