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{{Update|reason=The accident report is now available at the [https://asn.flightsafety.org/reports/2008/20080530_A320_EI-TAF.pdf Aviation Safety Network]|date=October 2024}}
{{short description|2008 aviation accident in Honduras}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = April 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = April 2020}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = TACA Flight 390
| name = TACA Flight 390
| image = TACA Flight 390.jpg
| image = TACA Flight 390.jpg
| caption = The wreckage of TACA Flight 390
| caption = The wreckage of TACA Flight 390
| date = May 30, 2008
| date = May 30, 2008
| type = Runway overrun, [[pilot error]]
| type = [[Runway overrun]], [[pilot error]]
| occurrence_type = Accident
| occurrence_type = Accident
| site = [[Toncontin International Airport]], [[Tegucigalpa, Honduras]]
| site = [[Toncontín International Airport]], [[Tegucigalpa]], [[Honduras]]
| fatalities = 3<ref name="Diversions" />
| fatalities = 3<ref name="Diversions" />
| Injuries = 65
| Injuries = 65
| aircraft_type = [[Airbus A320-233]]
| aircraft_type = [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-233]]
| origin = [[El Salvador International Airport]]
| origin = [[El Salvador International Airport]], San Salvador, El Salvador
| stopover0 = [[Toncontin International Airport]]
| stopover0 = Toncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| stopover1 = [[Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport]]
| stopover1 = [[Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport]], San Pedro Sula, Honduras
| destination = [[Miami International Airport]]
| destination = [[Miami International Airport]], Miami, Florida
| operator = [[TACA Airlines|Grupo TACA]]
| operator = [[Avianca El Salvador|TACA]]
| tail_number = [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20080530-0 EI-TAF]
| tail_number = EI-TAF<ref name="ASN" />
| passengers = 118
| passengers = 124
| crew = 6
| crew = 11
| survivors = 121
| survivors = 121
| coords = {{coord|14.0702|-87.2141|region:HN_type:event|display=inline,title}}|
| coords = {{coord|14.0702|-87.2141|region:HN_type:event|display=inline,title}}
| alt =
| alt =
| missing =
| missing =
| aircraft_name =
| aircraft_name =
| stopover =
| stopover =
| last_stopover =
| last_stopover =
| total_fatalities = 5 (including 2 on the ground)
| total_fatalities = 5 (including 2 on the ground)
| ground_fatalities = 2
| ground_fatalities = 2
}}
}}


'''TACA Flight 390''' was a scheduled flight on May 30, 2008, by [[TACA Airlines]] from [[San Salvador]], [[El Salvador]], to [[Miami]], [[Florida]], [[United States]], with intermediate stops at [[Tegucigalpa]] and [[San Pedro Sula]] in [[Honduras]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?airline=(TA)+TACA&flightNumber=390&departureDate=2008-05-30&x=54&y=16|title=Flightstats for TA390 SAL-TGU-SAP-MIA|last=|first=|date=2008-05-30|website=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929185110/http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?airline=(TA)+TACA&flightNumber=390&departureDate=2008-05-30&x=54&y=16|archive-date=2011-09-29|access-date=}}</ref> In this hull loss/fatalities accident, the [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-233]] overran the runway after landing at Tegucigalpa's [[Toncontín International Airport]] and rolled out into a street, crashing into an embankment and smashing several cars in the process.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7428423.stm|title=Fatal crash at Honduran airport|date=2008-05-31|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=2020-04-02}}</ref>
'''TACA Flight 390''' was a scheduled flight on May 30, 2008, by [[Avianca El Salvador|TACA International]] from [[San Salvador]], [[El Salvador]], to [[Miami]], [[Florida]], [[United States]], with intermediate stops at [[Tegucigalpa]] and [[San Pedro Sula]] in [[Honduras]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?airline=(TA)+TACA&flightNumber=390&departureDate=2008-05-30&x=54&y=16|title=Flightstats for TA390 SAL-TGU-SAP-MIA|date=2008-05-30|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929185110/http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByFlight.do?airline=(TA)+TACA&flightNumber=390&departureDate=2008-05-30&x=54&y=16|archive-date=2011-09-29}}</ref> The aircraft, an [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-233]], overran the runway after landing at Tegucigalpa's [[Toncontín International Airport]] and rolled out into a street, crashing into an embankment and smashing several cars in the process.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7428423.stm|title=Fatal crash at Honduran airport|date=2008-05-31|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=2020-04-02}}</ref>


== Aircraft and crew ==
== Aircraft and crew ==
[[File:TACA Airbus A320-233 EI-TAF.jpg|thumb|EI-TAF, the aircraft involved in the accident while leased to Cubana.]]
The aircraft was an [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320-233]] (registration EI-TAF, c/n 1374). It was built in 2000 and entered service with TACA in 2001. The aircraft was leased twice to Cubana de Avacion and Martinair in 2001 and 2007 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EI-TAF TACA International Airlines Airbus A320-200|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/airbus-a320-200-ei-taf-taca-international-airlines/ep12oe|access-date=2020-07-03|website=www.planespotters.net|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=TACA EI-TAF (Airbus A320 - MSN 1374) (Ex N465TA)|url=https://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a320-1374.htm|access-date=2020-07-03|website=www.airfleets.net|publisher=Airfleets aviation}}</ref>
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-233 with c/n 1374. It was built in 2000 and entered service with TACA in 2001 as N465TA before re-registered as EI-TAF in 2006. The aircraft was leased twice to Cubana de Avación and Martinair in 2001 and 2007 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EI-TAF TACA International Airlines Airbus A320-200 |url=https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/airbus-a320-200-ei-taf-taca-international-airlines/ep12oe |access-date=2020-07-03 |website=www.planespotters.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=TACA EI-TAF (Airbus A320 - MSN 1374) (Ex N465TA)|url=https://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a320-1374.htm|access-date=2020-07-03|website=www.airfleets.net|publisher=Airfleets aviation}}</ref>


The flight crew included [[El Salvador|Salvadorans]] Captain Cesare Edoardo D'Antonio Mena <!--Also written as César D'Antonio--> (40) and First Officer Juan Rodolfo Artero Arevalo (26).<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=dantonio.pdf|url=http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/dantonio.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326024743/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/dantonio.pdf|archive-date=2012-03-26|access-date=2013-12-29|website=|publisher=[[Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=artero.pdf|url=http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/artero.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326024927/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/artero.pdf|archive-date=2012-03-26|access-date=2013-12-29|website=|publisher=Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)}}</ref> All cabin crew members operating on the flight were [[Hondurans]]. Captain D'Antonio had 11,899 flight hours, including 8,514 hours on the Airbus A320, and first officer Artero had 1,607 hours with 250 of them on the Airbus A320. Both pilots had previously experience in landing at Toncontín International Airport; captain D'Antonio had landed at the airport 52 times, and first officer Artero had landed there 5 times.<ref name="aviationherald" />
The flight crew included [[El Salvador|Salvadorans]] Captain Cesare Edoardo D'Antonio Mena <!--Also written as César D'Antonio--> (40) and First Officer Juan Rodolfo Artero Arevalo (26).<ref>{{Cite web |title=dantonio.pdf |url=http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/dantonio.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326024743/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/dantonio.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-26 |access-date=2013-12-29 |publisher=[[Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)|Civil Aviation Authority]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=artero.pdf |url=http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/artero.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326024927/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/artero.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-26 |access-date=2013-12-29 |publisher=Civil Aviation Authority}}</ref> All cabin crew members operating on the flight were [[Hondurans]]. Captain D'Antonio had 11,899 flight hours, including 8,514 hours on the Airbus A320, and first officer Artero had 1,607 hours with 250 of them on the Airbus A320. Both pilots had previous experience in landing at Toncontín International Airport; captain D'Antonio had landed at the airport 52 times, and first officer Artero had landed there five times.<ref name="aviationherald" />


== Accident ==
== Accident ==
Flight 390 departed from San Salvador at 9:05 local time. At 09:40, the flight landed on runway 02 at Toncontín International Airport. Although both thrust reversers were deployed and the spoilers were activated, the aircraft overshot the runway at a speed of {{Convert|54|kn|mph km/h|abbr=}}, crossed an embankment, and crashed into a road beside the airport.<ref name="ASN" />
Flight 390 departed from San Salvador at 9:05 local time with 124 passengers and eleven crew. At 09:40, the flight landed on runway 02 at Toncontín International Airport. Although both thrust reversers were deployed and the spoilers were activated, the aircraft overshot the runway at a speed of {{Convert|54|kn|mph km/h|abbr=}}, crossed an embankment, and crashed into a road beside the airport.<ref name="ASN" />


⚫
A list of passengers was provided in the fifth press release on the crash from TACA international. This list was in the Spanish and English sections.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://news.taca.com/esp/nws/nwsbro.asp?key=897|title=Noticias GRUPO TACA BOLETÍN INFORMATIVO No. 5|date=2008-06-01|publisher=TACA Airlines|language=es|trans-title=News TACA GROUP INFORMATIVE BULLETIN No. 5|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602011953/http://news.taca.com/esp/nws/nwsbro.asp?key=897|archive-date=2008-06-02}}</ref>
==Passengers==
The passengers consisted of:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.taca.com/eng/nws/nwsbro.asp?key=902|title=TACA News|last=|first=|date=September 18, 2008|website=|publisher=TACA Airlines|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918100258/http://news.taca.com/eng/nws/nwsbro.asp?key=902|archive-date=2008-09-18|access-date=2013-12-29}}</ref>


⚫
Five people died as a result of the accident, including Captain D'Antonio.<ref name="reuters">{{Cite news|last=Palencia|first=Gustavo|date=2008-05-30|title=Plane skids off runway in Honduras, 5 dead|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-crash-honduras-idUSN3029714820080530|access-date=2020-12-02}}</ref> The deceased passengers were later confirmed as Jeanne Chantal Neele, the wife of {{Interlanguage link|Brian Michael Fraser Neele|lt=Brian Michael Fraser Neele|de|Brian Michael Fraser Neele|WD=}} ([[Brazil]]'s ambassador to Honduras, who was also on board), and Nicaraguan businessman [[Harry Brautigam]], president of the [[Central American Bank for Economic Integration]]; Brautigam died from a heart attack.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2008-05-31/world/honduras.crash_1_runway-passengers-toncontin-international-airport?_s=PM:WORLD|title=Five die as Honduras jet overshoots runway|date=2008-05-31|work=[[CNN]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324130908/http://articles.cnn.com/2008-05-31/world/honduras.crash_1_runway-passengers-toncontin-international-airport?_s=PM:WORLD|archive-date=2012-03-24}}</ref> Ambassador Fraser Neele sustained injuries in the crash. The former head of the [[military of Honduras|Honduran armed forces]] was also injured. There were two fatalities on the ground, one a taxi driver, in one of three vehicles crushed on the street by the aircraft. One of the survivors said that the business class passengers sustained the most serious injuries.<ref name="Diversions">{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7429351.stm|title=Honduras crash forces diversions|date=2008-05-31|work=BBC News|access-date=2019-09-13|publisher=BBC}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| '''Nationality''' || '''Passengers''' || '''Crew'''
|Total
|-
|Honduras || 60 || 5
|65
|-
|Costa Rica || 9 || 0
|9
|-
|Argentina || 8 || 0
|8
|-
|Guatemala || 7 || 0
|7
|-
|United States || 5 || 0
|5
|-
|Nicaragua || 3 || 0
|3
|-
| El Salvador || 3 || 1
|4
|-
| Mexico || 3 || 0
|3
|-
| Brazil || 2 || 0
|2
|-
| Canada || 2 || 0
|2
|-
| Colombia || 2 || 0
|2
|-
| Spain || 1 || 0
|1
|-
| Georgia || 1 || 0
|1
|-
| Germany || 1 || 0
|1
|-
| Italy || 1 || 0
|1
|-
| Uruguay || 1 || 0
|1
|-
|Undetermined/not stated
|14
|0
|14
|- class="sortbottom"
|Total
| 104 || 6
|114
|}


⚫
==Investigation==
⚫
A list of passengers was provided in the fifth press release on the crash from TACA Airlines. This list was in the Spanish and English sections.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.taca.com/esp/nws/nwsbro.asp?key=897|title=Noticias GRUPO TACA BOLETÍN INFORMATIVO No. 5|last=|first=|date=|website=|language=es|trans-title=News TACA GROUP INFORMATIVE BULLETIN No. 5|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602011953/http://news.taca.com/esp/nws/nwsbro.asp?key=897|archive-date=2008-06-02|access-date=}}</ref>
⚫
Honduran authorities delegated the investigation of the accident to the [[Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)|Civil Aviation Authority]] of [[El Salvador]] as per the [[Convention on International Civil Aviation]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Preliminary report |url=https://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903022022/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-03 |access-date=2009-06-09 |publisher=Civil Aviation Authority}}</ref> The accident report stated that the airplane had landed with a {{convert|12|kn|km/h mph|adj=on}} tailwind, {{convert|400|m|ft}} from the displaced approach end of the runway. Since this was the first intermediate stop on a long transcontinental flight, the aircraft was near its upper landing-weight limit (63.5t vs. 64.5t maximum allowable). In addition, the runway was wet, due to the passage of [[Tropical Storm Alma]].<ref name="ASN">{{cite web |last=Ranter |first=Harro |title=Accident description, Friday 30 May 2008, TACA International Airlines, EI-TAF |url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20080530-0 |accessdate=19 June 2014 |work=Aviation Safety Network |publisher=Flight Safety Foundation}}</ref><ref name="aviationherald">{{Cite web |last=Hradecky |first=Simon |title=Crash: TACA A320 at Tegucigalpa on May 30th 2008, overran runway and crashed into embankment |url=http://avherald.com/h?article=4077cedf&opt=0 |access-date=2020-07-03 |website=[[The Aviation Herald]]}}</ref>


The Aviation Herald retrieved a copy of the final report in 2017. The report itself has not been made public.{{Update inline|date=October 2024}} The Civil Aviation Authority concluded the cause of the accident was the flight crew's inappropriate decision to continue the landing despite not assessing the conditions of the runway, which did not follow standard operating procedures. The lack of grooving in the runway and the aircraft landing at a high speed of {{Convert|160|kn|mph km/h|abbr=}} were also contributing factors.<ref name="aviationherald" />
⚫
Five people died as a result of the accident, including Captain D'Antonio. The deceased passengers were later confirmed as Jeanne Chantal Neele, wife of Brian Michael Fraser Neele ([[Brazil]]'s ambassador to Honduras, who was also on board), and Nicaraguan businessman [[Harry Brautigam]], president of the [[Central American Bank for Economic Integration]]; Brautigam died from a heart attack.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2008-05-31/world/honduras.crash_1_runway-passengers-toncontin-international-airport?_s=PM:WORLD|title=Five die as Honduras jet overshoots runway|date=2008-05-31|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324130908/http://articles.cnn.com/2008-05-31/world/honduras.crash_1_runway-passengers-toncontin-international-airport?_s=PM:WORLD|archive-date=2012-03-24}}</ref> Ambassador Fraser Neele sustained injuries in the crash. The former head of the [[military of Honduras|Honduran armed forces]], General Daniel López Carballo, was also injured. There were two fatalities on the ground, one a taxi driver, in one of three vehicles crushed on the street by the aircraft. Mario Castillo, a survivor, said that the business class passengers sustained the most serious injuries.<ref name="Diversions">{{Cite news|last=|first=|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7429351.stm|title=Honduras crash forces diversions|date=2008-05-31|work=BBC News|access-date=2019-09-13|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

⚫
==Investigation==
⚫
Honduran authorities delegated the investigation of the accident to the [[Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)|Civil Aviation Authority]] of [[El Salvador]] as per the [[Convention on International Civil Aviation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf|title=Preliminary report|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5zhRi2VrA?url=http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf|archive-date=2011-06-25|access-date=2009-06-09}}</ref> The accident report stated that the airplane had landed with a 12-knot tailwind, 400 meters from the displaced approach end of the runway. Since this was the first intermediate stop on a long transcontinental flight, the aircraft was near its upper landing-weight limit (63.5t vs. 64.5t maximum allowable). In addition, the runway was wet, due to the passage of [[Tropical Storm Alma]].<ref name="ASN">{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20080530-0|title=Accident description, Friday 30 May 2008, TACA International Airlines, EI-TAF|last=Ranter|first=Harro|date=|work=aviation-safety.net|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|accessdate=19 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="aviationherald">{{Cite web|last=Hradecky|first=Simon|date=|title=Crash: TACA A320 at Tegucigalpa on May 30th 2008, overran runway and crashed into embankment|url=http://avherald.com/h?article=4077cedf&opt=0|access-date=2020-07-03|website=avherald.com|publisher=[[The Aviation Herald]]}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|El Salvador<!--Country of airline AND investigation authority-->||Aviation}}
{{Portal|El Salvador<!--Country of airline AND investigation authority-->|Honduras<!--Country where the plane crashed-->|Aviation}}
*[[List of accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A320 family]]
*[[List of accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A320 family]]
*[[TAM Airlines Flight 3054]]
*[[TAM Airlines Flight 3054]]
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==External links==
==External links==
* [[Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)|Civil Aviation Authority]]
* [[Civil Aviation Authority (El Salvador)|Civil Aviation Authority]]
**[http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf Preliminary Report] ([https://www.webcitation.org/5zhRi2VrA?url=http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf Archive])
**[http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf Preliminary Report] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110903022022/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/cai/390.pdf Archive])
**[http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ Index of related files] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120326023831/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ Archive])
**[http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ Index of related files] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120326023831/http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ Archive])
* {{ASN accident|id=20080530-0}}
* {{ASN accident|id=20080530-0}}
* "[http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/tegucigalpa/pressrelease03june2008.php Accident at Tegucigalpa (Honduras)]." ([https://www.webcitation.org/6Gj5zqaNI?url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/tegucigalpa/pressrelease03june2008.php Archive]) [[Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile]]
* "[http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/tegucigalpa/pressrelease03june2008.php Accident at Tegucigalpa (Honduras)]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234908/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/tegucigalpa/pressrelease03june2008.php Archive]) [[Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety]]
* "[http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ntsbreport.pdf Flight Recorder Group Meeting Report]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120326023726/http://aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ntsbreport.pdf Archive] [https://www.webcitation.org/6MExO8jPA?url=http://web.archive.org/web/20120326023726/http://aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ntsbreport.pdf Alternate archive]) from the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] Vehicle Recorder Division, June 5, 2008
* "[http://www.aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ntsbreport.pdf Flight Recorder Group Meeting Report]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120326023726/http://aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ntsbreport.pdf Archive] [http://web.archive.org/web/20120326023726/http://aac.gob.sv/archivos/390/ntsbreport.pdf Alternate archive]) from the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] Vehicle Recorder Division, June 5, 2008
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7428423.stm Fatal crash at Honduran airport] [[BBC News]] 31 May 2008
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7428423.stm Fatal crash at Honduran airport] [[BBC News]] 31 May 2008


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[[Category:2008 in Honduras]]
[[Category:2008 in Honduras]]
[[Category:Avianca El Salvador accidents and incidents]]
[[Category:Avianca El Salvador accidents and incidents]]
[[Category:May 2008 events in South America]]
[[Category:May 2008 events in North America]]
[[Category:2008 meteorology]]
[[Category:2008 meteorology]]

Latest revision as of 11:00, 24 November 2024

TACA Flight 390
The wreckage of TACA Flight 390
Accident
DateMay 30, 2008
SummaryRunway overrun, pilot error
SiteToncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
14°04′13″N 87°12′51″W / 14.0702°N 87.2141°W / 14.0702; -87.2141
Total fatalities5 (including 2 on the ground)
Aircraft
Aircraft typeAirbus A320-233
OperatorTACA
RegistrationEI-TAF[1]
Flight originEl Salvador International Airport, San Salvador, El Salvador
1st stopoverToncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
2nd stopoverRamón Villeda Morales International Airport, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
DestinationMiami International Airport, Miami, Florida
Passengers124
Crew11
Fatalities3[2]
Injuries65
Survivors121
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities2

TACA Flight 390 was a scheduled flight on May 30, 2008, by TACA International from San Salvador, El Salvador, to Miami, Florida, United States, with intermediate stops at Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula in Honduras.[3] The aircraft, an Airbus A320-233, overran the runway after landing at Tegucigalpa's Toncontín International Airport and rolled out into a street, crashing into an embankment and smashing several cars in the process.[4]

Aircraft and crew

[edit]
EI-TAF, the aircraft involved in the accident while leased to Cubana.

The aircraft was an Airbus A320-233 with c/n 1374. It was built in 2000 and entered service with TACA in 2001 as N465TA before re-registered as EI-TAF in 2006. The aircraft was leased twice to Cubana de Avación and Martinair in 2001 and 2007 respectively.[5][6]

The flight crew included Salvadorans Captain Cesare Edoardo D'Antonio Mena (40) and First Officer Juan Rodolfo Artero Arevalo (26).[7][8] All cabin crew members operating on the flight were Hondurans. Captain D'Antonio had 11,899 flight hours, including 8,514 hours on the Airbus A320, and first officer Artero had 1,607 hours with 250 of them on the Airbus A320. Both pilots had previous experience in landing at Toncontín International Airport; captain D'Antonio had landed at the airport 52 times, and first officer Artero had landed there five times.[9]

Accident

[edit]

Flight 390 departed from San Salvador at 9:05 local time with 124 passengers and eleven crew. At 09:40, the flight landed on runway 02 at Toncontín International Airport. Although both thrust reversers were deployed and the spoilers were activated, the aircraft overshot the runway at a speed of 54 knots (62 mph; 100 km/h), crossed an embankment, and crashed into a road beside the airport.[1]

A list of passengers was provided in the fifth press release on the crash from TACA international. This list was in the Spanish and English sections.[10]

Five people died as a result of the accident, including Captain D'Antonio.[11] The deceased passengers were later confirmed as Jeanne Chantal Neele, the wife of Brian Michael Fraser Neele [de] (Brazil's ambassador to Honduras, who was also on board), and Nicaraguan businessman Harry Brautigam, president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration; Brautigam died from a heart attack.[12] Ambassador Fraser Neele sustained injuries in the crash. The former head of the Honduran armed forces was also injured. There were two fatalities on the ground, one a taxi driver, in one of three vehicles crushed on the street by the aircraft. One of the survivors said that the business class passengers sustained the most serious injuries.[2]

Investigation

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Honduran authorities delegated the investigation of the accident to the Civil Aviation Authority of El Salvador as per the Convention on International Civil Aviation.[13] The accident report stated that the airplane had landed with a 12-knot (22 km/h; 14 mph) tailwind, 400 metres (1,300 ft) from the displaced approach end of the runway. Since this was the first intermediate stop on a long transcontinental flight, the aircraft was near its upper landing-weight limit (63.5t vs. 64.5t maximum allowable). In addition, the runway was wet, due to the passage of Tropical Storm Alma.[1][9]

The Aviation Herald retrieved a copy of the final report in 2017. The report itself has not been made public.[needs update] The Civil Aviation Authority concluded the cause of the accident was the flight crew's inappropriate decision to continue the landing despite not assessing the conditions of the runway, which did not follow standard operating procedures. The lack of grooving in the runway and the aircraft landing at a high speed of 160 knots (180 mph; 300 km/h) were also contributing factors.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Ranter, Harro. "Accident description, Friday 30 May 2008, TACA International Airlines, EI-TAF". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Honduras crash forces diversions". BBC News. BBC. May 31, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  3. ^ "Flightstats for TA390 SAL-TGU-SAP-MIA". May 30, 2008. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011.
  4. ^ "Fatal crash at Honduran airport". BBC News. May 31, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  5. ^ "EI-TAF TACA International Airlines Airbus A320-200". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "TACA EI-TAF (Airbus A320 - MSN 1374) (Ex N465TA)". www.airfleets.net. Airfleets aviation. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  7. ^ "dantonio.pdf" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  8. ^ "artero.pdf" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Hradecky, Simon. "Crash: TACA A320 at Tegucigalpa on May 30th 2008, overran runway and crashed into embankment". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  10. ^ "Noticias GRUPO TACA BOLETÍN INFORMATIVO No. 5" [News TACA GROUP INFORMATIVE BULLETIN No. 5] (Press release) (in Spanish). TACA Airlines. June 1, 2008. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008.
  11. ^ Palencia, Gustavo (May 30, 2008). "Plane skids off runway in Honduras, 5 dead". Reuters. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  12. ^ "Five die as Honduras jet overshoots runway". CNN. May 31, 2008. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012.
  13. ^ "Preliminary report" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 3, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
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