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12 fatalities

Fatal crash of aircraft near San Vicente del Caguán Airport (HK-1351)

San Vicente del Caguán, ColombiaLanding (descent or approach)

On January 28, 1978, a Douglas DC-3 (registration HK-1351) operated by Sociedad Aérea del Caqueta - Sadelca Colombia was involved in an aviation accident near San Vicente del Caguán, Colombia during landing or approach. 12 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck a mountainside during descent while flying in low-visibility weather conditions. 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 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed into a mountainside during its descent to San Vicente del Caguán Airport, resulting in the deaths of all 12 people on board.

What happened

During an approach to San Vicente del Caguán Airport, the flight crew was navigating through challenging weather characterized by low cloud cover. While the aircraft was descending at an altitude of approximately 6,800 feet, it collided with the slope of Mt Granada. The impact occurred while the mountain was obscured by clouds.

The collision resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were 12 fatalities among the occupants of the plane, with no survivors reported from the crash site.

Findings

  • The flight was operating in marginal weather conditions involving low visibility due to cloud cover.
  • The primary factor in the accident was the collision with terrain while flying through obscured mountainous terrain during the descent phase.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck a mountainside during descent while flying in low-visibility weather conditions.

Related events

Same operator

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