On August 20, 1977, a Convair 880 (registration N8817E) operated by Monarch Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near San José-Juan Santamaría, Costa Rica during takeoff. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as both CVR and FDR were inoperative at the time of the accident. However, the assumption that the accident was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft was not ruled out. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A four-engine airplane crashed in a wooded area 4 km from San José-Juan Santamaria Airport after rolling right and losing altitude during initial climb. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Summary
A four-engine airplane crashed in a wooded area approximately 4 kilometers from San José-Juan Santamaria Airport, Costa Rica. The accident occurred during the initial climb after takeoff from runway 25. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Narrative
The accident airplane departed from runway 25 at San José-Juan Santamaria Airport. Two minutes and 20 seconds after takeoff, while in the initial climb phase, the aircraft rolled to the right and lost height. It subsequently impacted terrain in a wooded area located 4 kilometers from the airport. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. All three crew members on board were killed in the accident.
Investigation
Official investigation findings: The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty, as both the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) were inoperative at the time of the accident. The investigation did not rule out the assumption that the accident was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft.
Probable cause
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty as both CVR and FDR were inoperative at the time of the accident. However, the assumption that the accident was the consequence of an overloaded aircraft was not ruled out.