ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-3-277C N407D Havana, Cuba
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 21 September 1978
Time:12:43
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-3-277C
Operator:Argosy Air Lines
Registration: N407D
MSN: 2244
First flight: 1940
Crew:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Missing
Aircraft fate: Presumed damaged beyond repair
Location:N off Havana, Cuba (   Atlantic Ocean)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL (FLL/KFLL), United States of America
Destination airport:Havana-José Martí International Airport (HAV/MUHA), Cuba
Flightnumber: 902
Narrative:
Argosy Air lines Flight 902 was operated by DC-3 N407D. The aircraft was to fly to Cuba to pick up 21 US citrus growers who were there on tour.
At 11:24 Flight 902 was cleared to taxi out from the Walkers Cay Jet Center to runway 09L for takeoff. At 11:29 they lifted off from Fort Lauderdale. Weather was fine as the DC-3 reached the cruising altitude of 6000 feet. At 12:25 the flight emerged on Havana's radar scopes, but the air traffic controller could not read any of the messages from the flight due to static. A high altitude plane relayed the messages to Havana and at 12:35 the messages became loud and clear. Eight minutes later the plane disappeared off the radar screens. The search for wreckage was called off at September 24.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Undetermined."

Classification:
Cause undetermined

Sources:
» Bermuda Triangle Mystery web site
» NTSB


Photos

photo of Douglas-DC-3-277C-N407D
accident date: 21-09-1978
type: Douglas DC-3-277C
registration: N407D
 

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 Fort Lauderdale International Airport, FL to Havana-José Martí International Airport as the crow flies is 409 km (256 miles).
Accident location: Global; accuracy within tens or hundreds of kilometers.

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.
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