FlightFinder
Check my flight
3 fatalities

Hijacking Attempt and Emergency Landing After Takeoff from Havana Airport (CU-T607)

Havana, CubaTakeoff (climb)

On August 9, 1961, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration CU-T607) operated by Cubana de Aviación was involved in an aviation accident near Havana, Cuba during takeoff. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Hijacking. 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)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

Five minutes after takeoff from Havana Airport, hijackers attempted to enter the flight deck. A struggle resulted in deaths, and the copilot made an emergency landing in a sugar cane field, evacuating all other occupants safely.

Incident Overview Five minutes after takeoff from Havana Airport, five hijackers attempted to enter the flight deck of the aircraft. Two guards attempted to stop the hijackers, and shots were fired during the confrontation. ## Casualties During the struggle, the captain was killed, along with one hijacker and one guard. The copilot was able to complete an emergency landing in a sugar cane field. ## Outcome The undercarriage was sheared off, and the aircraft came to rest. All other occupants were evacuated safely. The official probable cause was determined to be hijacking. ## Official Findings The investigation identified the hijacking as the probable cause of the incident.

Related events

Same operator

More accident analyses