1992 Aero Caribbean Ilyushin Il-18 crash

On 15 November 1992, an Aero Caribbean Ilyushin Il-18, operating a charter flight from Gregorio Luperón International Airport, Dominican Republic to José Martí International Airport, Cuba, with a stopover in Las Américas International Airport, crashed into the side of a mountain killing all 28 passengers and 6 crew on board.

Background

The Ilyushin Il-18D with registration CU-T1270 and c/n 187010301 was manufactured by Znamya Truda Plant on 1967 the same plane that was filmed in 1986 Soviet disaster film Razmakh krylyev (Wingspan). At the time of their transfer to Cuba, it had accumulated 22,016 flight hours.

The aircraft was carrying sportsperson returning from a trip to Havana after a match. Some passengers were identified as chess coach Adelquis Remón, former basketball president, doctors Cristóbal Merette Luna, and six of them are the members of the chess club based in San Francisco de Macorís. The captain was Rolande Flete.

Accident

The flight was approaching Puerto Plata from the southeast. The intention was to make a VOR approach to runway 26, break away from the approach pattern near the airport, go around it, and land on runway 08. The last contact with the aircraft was when the crew reported that they had turned onto the basic part of the approach nine nautical miles from the start of the runway. Shortly after turning onto the final part of the approach, the aircraft struck Isabel de Torres Hill at approximately 18:45 local time. The maximum allowed distance for turning onto the basic part was four nautical miles.

The crash into a hill wall with almost full fuel caused a large explosion, killing all 34 people on board. Rescue efforts began on the evening of the crash, but were suspended due to bad weather. Civil defense authorities, the Red Cross, the fire department, and Dominican Air Force participated in the recovery of the victims' bodies.