What happened
On 26 November, flight 253, operated by Linea Aeropostal Venezolana, departed from Idlewild Airport in New York bound for Maiquetía, Venezuela. The aircraft, a YV-C-AMA, was carrying 18 passengers and 7 crew members. The intended flight profile included an altitude of 17,000 feet and an estimated travel time of nearly ten hours.
During the final stages of the flight, the pilot provided two position updates. The first report indicated the aircraft was 75 miles northwest of Maiquetía at 17,500 feet. A second report, sent 14 minutes later, placed the plane at 7,000 feet, 35 miles from its destination. Shortly after being instructed to switch to tower frequency, all communication ceased. After the aircraft failed to check in with the control tower, search efforts were initiated, and an emergency was declared at 0835 hours.
Investigation later confirmed that the YV-C-AMA had collided with the western slope of El Avila peak within El Avila National Park at an altitude of 6,702 feet. The accident resulted in 25 fatalities.
Findings
Official investigations revealed that the pilot failed to adhere to established procedures for entering Maiquetía under semi-IFR conditions. While the airline had approved a specific method involving maintaining at least 10,000 feet until reaching a specific station before descending, the pilot attempted a direct approach instead. This maneuver, combined with errors in speed estimation, left the aircraft at an altitude too low to safely clear the mountain range.