On May 23, 1978, a Douglas C-118 Liftmaster (registration CP-1338) operated by Transportes Aéreos Bolivar - TAB was involved in an aviation accident near Beni, Bolivia during takeoff. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway distance during an emergency braking maneuver. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft caught fire after overrunning the runway during an emergency aborted takeoff, resulting in three fatalities.
What happened
While performing the takeoff roll, the flight crew encountered an unforeseen complication that necessitated an immediate change in procedure. In response to the situation, the captain elected to terminate the takeoff attempt and applied heavy braking to stop the aircraft.
Despite these efforts, the airplane could not be halted within the available runway length. The aircraft subsequently exited the paved surface, causing the undercarriage to separate from the fuselage. Following the overrun, the aircraft became engulfed in flames. The incident resulted in three fatalities among the crew and left two other members of the crew with serious injuries.
Findings
The aircraft was unable to stop before the end of the runway following an aborted takeoff attempt.
The separation of the landing gear occurred during the excursion from the runway.
Probable cause
The aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway distance during an emergency braking maneuver.