14 fatalities

Fatal aircraft accident near Cali Airport

Cali, ColombiaLanding (descent or approach)

On August 28, 1965, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Cali, Colombia during landing or approach. 14 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck the side of a mountain while descending toward its destination. 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

An aircraft flying from Panama City crashed into Mount Calima during its descent to Cali Airport, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

On the flight path toward Cali Airport, an aircraft traveling from Howard AFB in Panama City entered its descent phase. During this approach, the plane collided with the terrain on the slope of Mt Calima. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft.

There were 14 fatalities recorded as a result of the accident, with no survivors among the occupants.

Findings

Information regarding the specific mechanical or operational failures leading to the collision is not detailed in the available records; however, the primary factor was the impact with the mountain slope during the descent.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck the side of a mountain while descending toward its destination.