Millon Air Flight 406

Millon Air Flight 406

N751MA, the aircraft involved in the accident in January 1996
Accident
Date	October 22, 1996 (1996-10-22)
Summary	Engine failure on takeoff
Site	Near Eloy Alfaro International Airport, Manta, Ecuador
Total fatalities	34[1]
Total injuries	50
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Boeing 707-323C
Operator	Millon Air
Registration	N751MA[2]
Flight origin	Eloy Alfaro International Airport, Manta, Ecuador
Destination	Miami International Airport
Occupants	4
Passengers	1
Crew	3
Fatalities	4
Survivors	0
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities	30[1]
Ground injuries	50[1]

Millon Air Flight 406 was an international cargo flight from Manta, Ecuador, to Miami, Florida. On October 22, 1996, the Boeing 707-323C crashed shortly after takeoff from Manta Airport, killing all four people on-board and 30 more people on the ground.[1][3][4]

Aircraft

The Boeing 707-323C (N751MA) involved in the accident was built in 1967 with serial number 19582 and was delivered to American Airlines on October 27. It was sold to Millon Air in October 1989 and operated by the carrier, but reportedly registered to Wilmington Trust.[5] N751MA was involved in at least two previous incidents. The first was in 1995, when an engine failed 35 minutes after takeoff.[6][7] On February 22, 1996, about eight months before the accident, the plane lost hydraulic fluid while en route from Manaus, Brazil to Miami. The aircraft landed at Miami International Airport with its nose landing gear retracted.[8][9] According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the aircraft was in poor condition with corrosion and cracks.[6]

Accident

The aircraft captain had been working for Millon Air for three years and was also qualified as a flight instructor. There was also a first officer, a flight engineer, and a loadmaster. Flight 406 was loaded with cargo, including frozen fish.[10][11]

At 21:44 CDT, Flight 406 took off from Runway 23. The aircraft quickly lost altitude and struck the La Dolorosa Catholic church's bell tower. The aircraft then crashed into a residential area near the airport and exploded, scattered debris over dozens of homes. The accident killed all four people on board along with at least 24 (or 30) people on the ground, including a priest from the church. 50 people were also injured.[10][4]

Investigation

Ecuador's Civil Aviation Authority investigated the accident with assistance from the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney.[6][3][10] Investigators ultimately determined that the cause of the accident was an engine failure.

Miami-based Millon Air had several maintenance violations. It was issued more than 50 warnings from the FAA during some ten-year period, and paid $49,000 in fines. A year earlier, a Douglas DC-8-54F leased to Faucet Perú crashed in Guatemala City, killing six people. After the accident, Millon Air ceased operations voluntarily.[6][12]

References

1. "NTSB Identification: MIA97RA011". National Transportation Safety Board. MIA97RA011. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
2. "FAA Registry (N751MA)". Federal Aviation Administration.
3. "AT LEAST 24 DEAD IN ECUADOR CRASH". Chicago Tribune. 1996-10-23. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
4. "14 Die as Cargo Plane Crashes in Port City". Los Angeles Times. 1996-10-23. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
5. https://www.bing.com/search?q=Wilmington+Trust+Company&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQ6QcY_FWoAgCwAgA&FORM=ANCMS9&PC=U531
6. "MILLON AIR HAS BLEMISHED HISTORY". The Journal of Commerce. 1996-10-23. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
7. Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network
8. "Nose gear-up landing, Boeing 707-323C, February 22, 1996" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
9. Ranter, Harro. "Incident Boeing 707-323C N751MA, 22 Feb 1996". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 2020-10-24.
10. Valenzuela, Oscar (1996-10-23). "Plane Crashes in Flames In Ecuador, Killing At Least 24 People". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
11. "3 PILOT DEATHS SHOCK COMPANY". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
12. "Mysterious Aviation Disasters Help Set a Deadly Record in 1996". The Washington Post. 1996-12-31. Retrieved 27 October 2020.