No fatalities

Search Flight Overrun and Fire During Landing (YV-AFO)

Uruyén, VenezuelaLanding (descent or approach)

On April 15, 1939, a Fokker F8 (registration YV-AFO) operated by Venezuelan Government was involved in an aviation accident near Uruyén, Venezuela during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft overran the runway because the pilot was unable to stop within the remaining distance due to a tailwind component during landing. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A search aircraft overran the runway during a tailwind landing, resulting in a fire that damaged the airframe beyond repair. All four occupants escaped without injury.

What happened

The crew was conducting a search operation following the abduction of Captain Cardona Puig by local indigenous groups. During the return leg, the pilot executed a landing with a significant tailwind component. Due to this condition, the aircraft was unable to stop within the available runway distance. The airframe overran the end of the strip and came to rest in a ditch, where it immediately burst into flames.

The fire was extinguished rapidly by responders or nearby personnel. All four individuals on board sustained no injuries during the incident. However, the structural damage rendered the aircraft damaged beyond repair.

Findings

The primary factor contributing to the accident was the inability to arrest the aircraft's momentum due to the tailwind during the landing phase. The event resulted in a total loss of the airframe, although there were no fatalities or injuries among the occupants. The wreckage remained at the site until it was recovered in 2001 and subsequently ferried to The Netherlands for preservation by the Aviodome Museum.

Probable cause

The aircraft overran the runway because the pilot was unable to stop within the remaining distance due to a tailwind component during landing.