No fatalities

Runway excursion and fire at Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport (HK-153)

Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño, ColombiaTakeoff (climb)

On March 11, 1965, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration HK-153) operated by Avianca was involved in an aviation accident near Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño, Colombia during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft lost directional control during the takeoff roll, leading to a runway excursion and fire. 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 veered off the runway and caught fire during its takeoff roll at Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport, resulting in no fatalities.

What happened

During the initial stages of a takeoff roll at Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño Airport, the aircraft experienced a loss of directional control. The plane drifted from the runway centerline and exited the paved surface, subsequently impacting a ditch located near the airfield.

Following the impact with the ditch, the aircraft was overtaken by flames. Despite the intensity of the fire, which caused partial destruction to the airframe, all 34 occupants were able to evacuate the vessel without loss of life. There were no reported injuries among the passengers or crew during the emergency egress.

Findings

  • The aircraft became uncontrollable during the takeoff phase.
  • The sequence of events involved a runway excursion and subsequent collision with terrain.

Probable cause

The aircraft lost directional control during the takeoff roll, leading to a runway excursion and fire.