39 fatalities

Aircraft Strikes Mt. San Nicolas During Flight from Medellín to Quibdó (FAC-661)

Mt San Nicolás, ColombiaFlight

On January 21, 1972, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration FAC-661) operated by SATENA - Servicio de Aeronavegacion a Territorios Nacionales was involved in an aviation accident near Mt San Nicolás, Colombia in flight. 39 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: It is believed that the crew lost orientation while cruising in poor weather conditions and failed to realize he was not on properly track, thus at the right altitude. 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 en route from Medellín to Quibdó struck Mt. San Nicolas amid poor weather. Wreckage was found four days later; all 39 occupants were killed. The probable cause is crew lost orientation.

Accident

An aircraft operating a route from Medellín to Quibdó encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to clouds while cruising at an altitude of 12,500 feet. The airplane struck the slope of Mt. San Nicolas (3,800 meters) located southwest of Betania.

Wreckage Recovery

The wreckage was found four days later, on January 25. All 39 occupants were killed, among them civilians.

Probable Cause

Official findings indicate that it is believed the crew lost orientation while cruising in poor weather conditions and failed to realize they were not on the proper track, thus not at the right altitude.