DC-10 crashes into Guatemala City residential area, 26 dead

Airline Industry Information, Dec 22, 1999

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A French-made DC-10 aircraft flown by a Cuban airline crashed into the residential suburb of La Libertad near the Guatemala City airport on 21 December, killing 26 people.

The aircraft, which skidded off the runway into the residential area, had been transporting about 270 medical students studying at the Latin American School of Medical Sciences home for the Christmas holidays and was carrying about 296 passengers and 18 crew members in total. About 44 people were injured in the accident and amongst the dead were eight crew members, nine passengers and nine residents.

The cause of the crash is unknown, but the aircraft is thought to have skidded off the end of the runway because the pilot started his landing to far along the landing strip. An investigation will be launched into the accident.

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