On January 28, 1962, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster (registration HK-130) operated by Avianca was involved in an aviation accident near Cúcuta-Camilo Daza, Colombia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A hard landing caused the landing gear to puncture the fuel tanks, leading to a post-impact 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.
A four-engine aircraft sustained significant damage and caught fire after a heavy landing at Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport, resulting in no fatalities.
What happened
During an arrival at Cúcuta-Camilo Daza Airport, a four-engine aircraft experienced a high-impact touchdown on runway 33. The force of the hard landing caused the main landing gear to penetrate the aircraft's fuel tanks. Following the impact, the plane traveled approximately several dozen yards along the runway surface. During this period, leaking fuel ignited, causing the airframe to be engulfed in flames.
Despite the intensity of the fire, all 54 occupants were able to evacuate the aircraft without injury. The structural damage and fire resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the fire was the rupture of fuel tanks caused by the landing gear's impact during a heavy touchdown.
Probable cause
A hard landing caused the landing gear to puncture the fuel tanks, leading to a post-impact fire.