Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Fortuna
Saturday, August 26, 2000 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On August 26, 2000, at an undetermined time, a Cessna 208B, HP1357, registered to Groupo TACA, operated by SANSA Aircraft as a domestic flight, crashed in the vicinity of La Fortuna, Costa Rica. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The airline transport pilot-in-command, commercial pilot co-pilot, and 8 passengers (5 Americans) were fatally injured. The flight originated from a private airport in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, at about 1205-mountain daylight time. According to the DGAC, the pilot departed La Fortuna enroute to Tamarindo, Costa Rica. The airplane did not arrive at the destination airport. The airplane wreckage was located on the side of the Arenal volcano on August 27, 2000, in the vicinity of La Fortuna, Costa Rica. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Costa Rica. This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Costa Rica. Any further information can be obtained from: Director General of Civil Aviation Apartado Postal 5026 San Jose, Costa Rica Telephone (011) 506-232-1265

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LA FORTUNA
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 27
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 10
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 10
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source HQ NTSB
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number MIA00WA249
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 208B
Aircraft Series Identifier 208B
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Reg./Foreign Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 999-1007
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MRTM
Destination City TAMARINDO
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --