Air Crash Investigation - S02E05 Missing Over New York (Avianca Flight 52)

Description

On 25 January 1990, Avianca Flight 52, a flight to New York from Colombia, was delayed numerous times by weather en route and was dangerously low on fuel as it attempted landing. Wind shear forced the crew to abort the approach just 1 mile from the runway. They initiated a go-around, but were mishandled back into a holding pattern by air traffic controllers unaware of the low-fuel situation. The plane then ran out of fuel causing it to crash in Long Island near New York.

Type of aircraft: Boeing 707-320B.
Cause of disaster: Numerous delays, fuel starvation, pilot error and ATC error.

Tags