A Douglas DC-4 similar to the accident aircraft
| |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 December 1952 |
| Summary | Lost control and crashed after takeoff; cause undetermined |
| Site | Bermuda |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Douglas DC-4 |
| Operator | Cubana de Aviación |
| Registration | CU-T397 |
| Flight origin | Kindley Air Force Base now L.F. Wade International Airport, Bermuda |
| Destination | José Martí International Airport, Cuba |
| Occupants | 41 |
| Passengers | 33 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Fatalities | 37 |
| Injuries | 4 |
| Survivors | 4 |
The 1952 Bermuda air crash occurred on 6 December 1952, when a Douglas DC-4, registered CU-T397 and operated by Cubana de Aviación, flying from MadridtoHavana,[1] crashed into the Atlantic Ocean following a refuelling stop at Kindley Air Force BaseinBermuda. There were 33 passengers and 8 crew on board the aircraft. The flight arrived at Kindley Air Force Base at 03:30.[1] After an hour's stopover spent refuelling the aircraft, the DC-4 departed; at 04:45, during the initial climb, the aircraft stalled, lost height and crashed tail first into the sea. The accident killed 37 passengers and crew; three passengers and a crew-member survived the crash,[1] and were rescued shortly after the crash.
Bermuda's Director of Civil Aviation, E. M. Ware, said at the time that the take-off apparently had been normal. It is believed no message came from the plane before it plunged into the sea, probably while still pushing the engines hard to gain altitude. Four survivors were taken to the Kindley base hospital.
The cause of the accident was not determined;[citation needed] it remains the worst aviation accident in Bermudian history.[1]
|
Aviation accidents and incidents in 1952 (1952)
| |
|---|---|
|
Jan 22 Feb 11 Mar 3 Mar 22 Apr 9 Apr 11 Apr 29 Jun 13 Jun 28 Jul 14 Jul 24 Aug 12 Sep 6 Oct 21 Little Rissington UFO incident Oct 26 Nov 22 Dec 6 Cubana de Aviación Bermuda crash Dec 20 Dec 30 | |
32°24′04″N 64°36′43″W / 32.4011°N 64.6119°W / 32.4011; -64.6119
