Cubana de Aviación Flight 389

Cubana de Aviación Flight 389 (CU389/CUB389) was a scheduled international passenger flight, flying from the former Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito to Havana's José Martí International Airport, with a stopover at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Guayaquil, operated by Cuban flag carrier Cubana de Aviación.

On 29 August 1998, the aircraft operating the domestic Quito-Guayaquil leg of the flight, a Russian-made Tupolev Tu-154M overran the runway, smashing buildings and crashed into a soccer field in Quito while taking off from the airport. The aircraft burst into flames and 70 people on board were killed. A total of 10 people on the ground, including children, were killed.

The crash is the second-deadliest crash in the history of Ecuador after the 1983 TAME Flight 173's 119 fatalities.

Events

Flight 389 was preparing for departure. During the first engine start, a pneumatic valve was blocked. The problem was rectified and two engines were started with ground power. During its taxi, the third engine was started. Flight 389 later obtained their take-off clearance and started their roll. The first and the second take-off attempt failed. It then attempted its third take-off. When Flight 389 reached VR speed, the nose of the aircraft wouldn't rotate (lift). The crew initiated a rejected take-off procedure, but the aircraft overran the runway, narrowly missed the heavily traveled Tufiño avenue at the end of the airport runway into the middle-class El Rosario residential neighborhood, slammed into a wall, clipped an auto mechanic shop, smashed into two houses and plowed into a soccer field. At the time, many people including children were playing on the field. The aircraft exploded and burst into flames.