Conviasa ATR-42 accident at Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela

by B. N. Sullivan

An ATR-42-300 turboprop aircraft operated by Venezuelan carrier Conviasa crashed this morning at Puerto Ordaz, Ciudad Guyana in eastern Venezuela.  The aircraft (registration YV1010) impacted terrain on the grounds of an industrial facility called Siderurgica del Orinoco (SIDOR).  The flight was reported to have 47 on board.  News reports from Venezuela say that at least 13 passengers were fatally injured.  All four crew members are said to have survived.  The aircraft was destroyed in the crash.

There is still some confusion about the flight's origin and destination.  Some news reports say that the aircraft had just departed Puerto Ordaz (SPVR) en route to Porlamar (SVMG), while other reports say that the aircraft was on approach to Puerto Ordaz from Isla Margarita at the time of the accident.  When the correct information emerges, I will post an update here.

Venezuelan television network Globovisión has posted a number of photos of the accident scene on Flickr.

UPDATE: The Aviation Safety Network reports:

Flight Conviasa 2350 had departed Porlamar-del Caribe Santiago Mariño International Airport (PMV) on a domestic service to Puerto Ordaz Airport (PZO). It came down in an industrial area about 8 km from runway 07.

Conflicting news reports indicate that the airplane also have been on a flight from Puerto Ordaz to Porlamar. Yet the flight number mentioned by several other news sources is a flight from PMV to PZO.

UPDATE 2:  Here is a link to a news release about the accident issued by Venezuela's Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil (INAC).

UPDATE Sep 14, 2010:  Earlier today, Transportation Minister Francisco Garces told news reporters that some of those who initially survived the Conviasa accident had succumbed to their injuries, raising the death toll to 17.

Condolences to all those who have lost a family member or friend in this accident.