What happened
A charter flight, operating on behalf of Cubana de Aviacion and leased from AOM French Airlines, was performing service CU1216 from Havana to Guatemala City. The aircraft was transporting 296 passengers, primarily Guatemalan medical students, along with 18 crew members. Upon landing on runway 19, the flight crew initiated braking maneuvers; however, the aircraft type was unable to decelerate sufficiently before the end of the runway.
Following the runway excursion, the plane traveled down an embankment and struck several residential structures in the La Libertad district. The impact resulted in the destruction of the aircraft. The accident caused 17 fatalities, including both pilots, six crew members, eight passengers, and two individuals residing on the ground. Additionally, 57 injuries were reported, involving 20 people on the ground and 37 occupants of the aircraft. A total of 261 passengers and crew members survived the event without injury.
Findings
- The aircraft failed to stop within the available runway distance following touchdown.
- The sequence of events involved an overrun and subsequent collision with ground structures.