Criminal Occurrence description
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| Status: | |
| Date: | 21 DEC 1980 |
| Time: | 14:23 |
| Type: | Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle VIR |
| Operator: | TAC Colombia |
| Registration: | HK-1810 |
| C/n / msn: | 165 |
| First flight: | 1963 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 63 / Occupants: 63 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 70 / Occupants: 70 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Guajira (Colombia)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Riohacha-Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH/SKRH), Colombia |
| Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH/SKMD), Colombia |
At 14:18 the Caravelle took off from Riohacha for a flight to Medellín. Five minutes after take-off an explosion occurred and there appeared to be a fire in the right-hand aft portion of the aircraft. The Caravelle went out of control and crashed. The aircraft was on its first scheduled flight after 17 months of maintenance work. It's not known for sure whether the explosion was caused by a bomb or not.
Sources:
Sample newspaper article from Newspaperarchive.com
Statistics
50th loss of a Caravelle
9th worst accident involving a Caravelle (at the time)
10th worst accident involving a Caravelle (currently)
The worst accident in Colombia (at the time)
7th worst accident in Colombia (currently) » figures explained
9th worst accident involving a Caravelle (at the time)
10th worst accident involving a Caravelle (currently)
The worst accident in Colombia (at the time)
7th worst accident in Colombia (currently) » figures explained
Photos
EC-ATX was sold to TAC Colombia in February 1976.
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Riohacha-Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH/SKRH) to Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH/SKMD) as the crow flies is 655 km (409 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
Distance from Riohacha-Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH/SKRH) to Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH/SKMD) as the crow flies is 655 km (409 miles).
