4 fatalities

Fatal Collision with Mt Alto Santa Rosa Slope (TI-SAA)

Mt Irazú, Costa RicaFlight

On April 19, 1984, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration TI-SAA) operated by SANSA - Servicios Aéreos Nacionales was involved in an aviation accident near Mt Irazú, Costa Rica in flight. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Controlled flight into terrain. 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.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft struck the slope of Mt Alto Santa Rosa near Mt Irazú while cruising at 7,500 feet in marginal weather. The wreckage was found below the summit, resulting in the deaths of all four crew members.

Incident Overview

During a flight operation, an aircraft encountered marginal weather conditions while maintaining a cruising altitude of 7,500 feet. Under these circumstances, the aircraft collided with the terrain of Mt Alto Santa Rosa, which is situated in proximity to the Mt Irazú volcano.

Outcome and Recovery

Following the impact, search efforts located the wreckage just a few meters below the summit of the mountain. The accident resulted in fatal injuries for all individuals on board. Specifically, all four crew members were killed in the incident. No survivors were reported from this event.

Official Determination

The investigation into the accident concluded that the primary factor leading to the crash was a controlled flight into terrain. This finding indicates that the aircraft remained under pilot control until it impacted the mountain slope, rather than suffering a mechanical failure or loss of control prior to the collision.

Probable cause

Controlled flight into terrain