US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA3479

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003479 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
DEPT FOR INL/LP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, CO 
SUBJECT:  DC-3 Accident March 28, No Injuries 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  A Colombian National Police (PNC) DC-3 
aircraft (tail number PNC 0214) crashed upon landing in Caruru, 
Vaupes Department, on March 28.  No injuries or fatalities 
resulted, but an initial inspection has concluded that it is not 
economically feasible to repair the aircraft. PNC and NAS safety 
experts are conducting a bilateral accident investigation. Initial 
indications suggest that the accident may have been the result of 
pilot error.  NAS will conduct a thorough review of DC-3 pilot 
training with the PNC.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU) On March 28, 2004, at 1:15 p.m. a DC-3 (PNC tail number 
0214), during an approach at Caruru (one of the towns in Vaupes 
Department where a police presence was re-established only two 
months ago) lost control and subsequently crashed.  The crew of 
four sustained no injuries as a result of the accident.  A 
preliminary aircraft damage report by NAS sub-contractor 
maintenance personnel has concluded that the aircraft is beyond 
economical repair.  An on-site investigation was conducted by PNC 
safety personnel and the NAS Senior Aviation and Aviation Safety 
Advisers.  A subsequent bilateral accident investigation will be 
conducted by PNC and NAS safety personnel. 
 
3.  (SBU) On March 28, 2004, a PNC aircrew of four, including the 
pilot, Captain Monsalve (with 546 flight hours as a DC-3 command 
pilot and 1235 hours as a DC-3 co-pilot), departed El Dorado 
Police Base in Bogota at 5:30 a.m. on a general support mission 
with multiple stopovers.  The route of flight was Bogota - San 
Jose de Guaviare - Mitu - San Jose - Caruru.  The crew departed 
San Jose with 4500 lbs of fuel and 3000 lbs of cargo to Caruru. 
The aircraft landed with 3500 lbs of fuel.  Caruru is located 124 
nautical miles on a 145 degree heading from San Jose.  The runway 
at Caruru is an unimproved dirt strip approximately 4000 feet in 
length.  The runway conditions, at the time of the accident were 
reported to be wet from recent rains however suitable for landing 
and takeoffs (another DC-3 landed and took-off from Caruru's 
runway less than an hour before PNC-0214 landed).  The reported 
weather conditions were 6000 feet visibility, with a 1300 feet 
overcast ceiling.  A flight plan and risk assessment were 
completed prior to the mission by the PNC which resulted in a risk 
level of medium. 
 
4.  (SBU) The pilot (Monsalve) reported to NAS safety adviser that 
during landing everything appeared normal on touchdown of the main 
wheels and that the runway was wet, but he had no problem 
initially controlling the aircraft.  Monsalve stated that after 
the tail wheel touched down the aircraft began to veer to the left 
and that he could no longer control the aircraft.  He added that 
he was concerned that he would crash into the small houses next to 
the runway so he decided to apply power and bring the tailwheel up 
and thus try to control the direction of the airplane.  He 
successfully brought the nose of the aircraft back towards the 
runway and then decided to apply full power to do a go-around. 
Monsalve noted that he could only get 40 percent power and that he 
could not get the plane to fly.  The aircraft subsubsequently 
veered to the left off the runway, hit a small palm tree with the 
left wing, hopped over a small road, and finally came to rest near 
the bank of a river,but 175 feet from the water. 
 
5.  (SBU) The aircrew was transported to Bogota March 29 for 
toxiocology tests and interviews.  All aircraft maintenance 
records, flight training records, risk assessments, flight plan, 
and information concerning the mission have been secured for the 
accident investigation. 
 
6.  (SBU) Insofar as this is the second accident of a DC-3 in less 
than one year, resulting in the loss of two DC-3s, NAS will 
conduct a thorough review of DC-3 pilot and crew training with the 
PNC with an eye toward ensuring full adherence to all safety and 
training requirements, as well as spot inspections of pilots and 
co-pilots during flights. 
WOOD