6 fatalities

Fatal aircraft impact on Turrialba Volcano (CC-CAN)

Turrialba, Costa RicaFlight

On December 29, 1964, a Curtiss C-46 Commando (registration CC-CAN) operated by Linea Aérea Sud Americana (LASA) was involved in an aviation accident near Turrialba, Costa Rica in flight. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck the volcano because it was flying at an altitude too low to clear the mountain slope. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 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

An aircraft crashed into the slopes of the Turrialba Volcano during a night flight, resulting in no survivors among the six people on board.

What happened

During a nighttime flight, an aircraft collided with the side of the Turrialba Volcano. The impact occurred while the plane was maintaining an altitude that was too low for the terrain. Following the collision, search efforts located the debris field approximately one day after the incident.

There were six fatalities recorded in the accident, as all individuals on board perished during the crash.

Findings

Investigations into the wreckage indicated that the aircraft was operating at an insufficient altitude during its cruise phase. This low-altitude flight profile prevented the crew from clearing the volcanic terrain during the night.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck the volcano because it was flying at an altitude too low to clear the mountain slope.