TACA Flight 390
Encyclopedia
TACA Flight 390 was a scheduled flight on May 30, 2008, by TACA Airlines from San Salvador
, El Salvador
, to Miami, Florida
, United States
, with intermediate stops at Tegucigalpa
and San Pedro Sula
in Honduras
. In this hull loss accident, the Airbus A320-233
(registration EI-TAF, c/n 1374) overran the runway after landing at Tegucigalpa's Toncontín International Airport
and rolled out into a street, crashing into an embankment and smashing several cars in the process.
Captain César D'Antonio. First Officer Juan Artero and all other crew members operating on the flight were Hondurans
. The passengers consisted of :
A list of passengers was provided in the fifth press release on the crash from TACA Airlines. This list was in the Spanish and English sections.
Five people were confirmed dead as a result of the accident, including Captain D'Antonio. The deceased passengers were later confirmed as Jeanne Chantal Neele, wife of Brian Michael Fraser Neele (Brazil
's ambassador to Honduras), and Nicaraguan businessman Harry Brautigam
, president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration; Brautigam died from a heart attack. Ambassador Fraser Neele sustained injuries in the crash. The former head of the Honduran armed forces
, General Daniel López Carballo, was also injured. There were two fatalities on the ground, one a taxi driver, in one of three vehicles crushed on the street by the aircraft. Mario Castillo, a survivor, said that the business class passengers sustained the most serious injuries.
of El Salvador
as per the Convention on International Civil Aviation
. According to black box recordings and a report from the NTSB, the cause of the accident was a human error by the deceased pilot, who landed 900 meters (0.5 miles) beyond the landing marks and in the wrong direction (the tower had suggested to land the opposite way).
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, to Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with intermediate stops at Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
and San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. In this hull loss accident, the Airbus A320-233
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
(registration EI-TAF, c/n 1374) overran the runway after landing at Tegucigalpa's Toncontín International Airport
Toncontín International Airport
Toncontín International Airport or Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejía Airport is a civil and military airport that serves Tegucigalpa, Honduras...
and rolled out into a street, crashing into an embankment and smashing several cars in the process.
Passengers
The flight crew included SalvadoranEl Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
Captain César D'Antonio. First Officer Juan Artero and all other crew members operating on the flight were Hondurans
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. The passengers consisted of :
| Nationality | Passengers | Crew |
| 60 | 5 | |
| 9 | 0 | |
| 8 | 0 | |
| 7 | 0 | |
| 5 | 0 | |
| 3 | 0 | |
| 3 | 1 | |
| 3 | 0 | |
| 2 | 0 | |
| 2 | 0 | |
| 2 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 108 | 6 |
A list of passengers was provided in the fifth press release on the crash from TACA Airlines. This list was in the Spanish and English sections.
Five people were confirmed dead as a result of the accident, including Captain D'Antonio. The deceased passengers were later confirmed as Jeanne Chantal Neele, wife of Brian Michael Fraser Neele (Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
's ambassador to Honduras), and Nicaraguan businessman Harry Brautigam
Harry Brautigam
Harry Brautigam was a Nicaraguan economist, banker and academic.Dr. Harry Emil Brautigam, son of Harry and Lucille Brautigam, was born and raised in Bluefields, Nicaragua. He received a Bachelors in Business Administration in Guadalajara, Mexico...
, president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration; Brautigam died from a heart attack. Ambassador Fraser Neele sustained injuries in the crash. The former head of the Honduran armed forces
Military of Honduras
-pre-1979:During the twentieth century, Honduran military leaders frequently became presidents, either through elections or by coups d'état. General Tiburcio Carías Andino was elected in 1932, he later on called a constituent assembly that allowed him to be reelected, and his rule became more...
, General Daniel López Carballo, was also injured. There were two fatalities on the ground, one a taxi driver, in one of three vehicles crushed on the street by the aircraft. Mario Castillo, a survivor, said that the business class passengers sustained the most serious injuries.
Investigation
Honduran authorities delegated the investigation of the accident to the Autoridad de Aviación CivilAutoridad de Aviación Civil (El Salvador)
The Civil Aviation Authoriy is the civil aviation agency of El Salvador. The agency conducts investigations into aviation accidents and incidents. The agency is headquartered in Ilopango, San Salvador Department...
of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
as per the Convention on International Civil Aviation
Convention on International Civil Aviation
The Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention, established the International Civil Aviation Organization , a specialized agency of the United Nations charged with coordinating and regulating international air travel...
. According to black box recordings and a report from the NTSB, the cause of the accident was a human error by the deceased pilot, who landed 900 meters (0.5 miles) beyond the landing marks and in the wrong direction (the tower had suggested to land the opposite way).
External links
- Preliminary Report (Archive) - Autoridad de Aviación Civil (El Salvador)Autoridad de Aviación Civil (El Salvador)The Civil Aviation Authoriy is the civil aviation agency of El Salvador. The agency conducts investigations into aviation accidents and incidents. The agency is headquartered in Ilopango, San Salvador Department...
- "Accident at Tegucigalpa (Honduras)." Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation CivileBureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'Aviation CivileThe Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile is an agency of the French government, responsible for investigating aviation accidents and making safety recommendations based on what is learned from those investigations. It is headquartered in Building 153 on the grounds...
- Photos of the crash site
- Fatal crash at Honduran airport BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
31 May 2008