SANSA Flight 32

SANSA Flight 32

A CASA/IPTN NC-212 similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date	January 15, 1990
Summary	Controlled flight into terrain, pilot error
Site	Cerro Cedral, near Juan Santamaría International Airport, Costa Rica
Aircraft
Aircraft type	CASA C-212 Aviocar
Operator	SANSA
Registration	TI-SAB
Flight origin	Juan Santamaría International Airport
Destination	Palmar Sur Airport
Occupants	23
Passengers	20
Crew	3
Fatalities	23
Survivors	0

SANSA Flight 32, a CASA C-212 Aviocar on its way to Palmar Sur Airport crashed into the Cerro Cedral, a mountain in Costa Rica after takeoff from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose on January 15, 1990. All 20 passengers and 3 crew on board died in the crash.

Accident sequence

SANSA Flight 32 took off from Juan Santamaria International Airport at 08:25 local time and was cleared to climb to 5500 feet. Soon after the crew received another instruction to climb to 8500 feet. Midway through the climb, the aircraft flew into Cerro Cedral at 7200 feet, killing all on board.[1]

Investigation

The investigation found that the main cause of the accident was the failure to comply with the proposed flight plan discussed with air traffic control, which would have led the aircraft to be flying under IMC conditions instead of VFR ones. Supporting factors include the lack of a Ground Proximity Warning System, pilot fatigue and a lack of a flight safety program in SANSA.[2]

References

1. "Costa Rican plane crash claims 23 in the mountains". The Bryan Times. Retrieved 2021-02-07 – via Google News.
2. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident CASA C-212 Aviocar 200 TI-SAB San José-Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2021-02-07.