16 fatalities

Aircraft crashes after right wing separation during initial climb (XH-TAN)

Tegucigalpa, HondurasTakeoff (climb)

On November 29, 1944, a Ford 5 (registration XH-TAN) operated by TACA International Airlines - Transportes Aéreos Centro Americanos was involved in an aviation accident near Tegucigalpa, Honduras during takeoff. 16 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Structural failure of the right wing caused by excessive vibrations accumulated during operations on difficult and rough terrain. 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)Source recordUpdated 2026-08-05Data APIEditorial standards

During initial climb, the right wing failed due to structural issues from rough terrain operations, causing the aircraft to crash and kill all 16 occupants.

What happened

The incident occurred shortly after takeoff while the aircraft was in its initial climb phase. During this period, the right wing detached from the airframe. The loss of control resulted in an immediate impact with the ground, accompanied by a significant explosion. Tragically, all 16 occupants on board were killed in the crash.

Findings

Investigations indicated that the separation of the right wing was attributed to a structural failure. This failure was driven by excessive vibrations that had accumulated over time as a result of operations conducted on difficult and rough terrain.

Probable cause

Structural failure of the right wing caused by excessive vibrations accumulated during operations on difficult and rough terrain.