A plane crashed in central Cuba
 

A plane crashed in central Cuba Thursday afternoon, killing 17. .people including 13 foreigners, authorities said.. .. .The plane, described as an AN-2 Aerotaxi, went down around 4:30 p.m.. .near Santa Clara, the capital of Villa Clara province about 65 miles. .east of Havana.. .. .The cause of the crash was not immediately known.. .. .Killed were six Canadians, five Britons, four Cubans and two Germans, an. .official from the International Press Center said Thursday night.. .. .Latest at <a href="http://luchtvaart.pagina.nl" target="_blank">Airline news</a>

Here's the BBC report:. .. .<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1874000/1874050.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1874000/1874050.stm</a>. .. .Not sure how appropriate the photo caption:. .. ."The Soviet-made Antonovs are popular with tourists". .. .I think in many cases it's all that tourists are offered. Also is an An-2 a small plane?

"The Soviet-made Antonovs are popular with tourists". Beats walking I guess.. .. .Yes, it is a "mall plane" though, as with many ex-Soviet-bloc aircraft, they are built to last! . .. .Let's spare a thought for all involved.

The AN-2's are popular because of their rarity; bit like riding in a vintage biplane like the Rapide over here in UK.. .. .Sadly, with only one donk, there's always a bit more risk involved. Most unfortunate if the passengers had been up for a special trip and it went wrong. No speculation, just condolences to all.

Sincere condoleances to the familly involved.. .I flew the An-2 in Poland 2 years ago, and as said already it is a very solid airplane, and very popular for tourists because of its slow speed and large windows, combined with nostalgia of flying a piece of history.. .The airplane is very easy to fly, lots of power, do not stall suddenly, ( just sinks on its tail )and can have a minimum approach speed of 35 Kts.. .There are still 1500 of them flying around.

The AN 2s are a familiar sight at Varadero, Cuba, where they operate from the old airfield. During the day they are involved in dropping skydivers onto the beach. They then do a "Dusk Patrol" up and down the beach at a height of (approx) 100 ft.

Sincere condolences to all the families affected by this tragedy.. .. .The AN-2 is an amazing, stout, simple and reliable aircraft. De-Havilland Canada would have been proud to have made it.. .. .From <a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&u=/nm/20020315/ts_nm/cuba_plane_dc" target="_blank">Yahoo news</a> . .. . </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">Although the cause of the crash was still unknown, residents said they saw the single-engine Russian Antonov-2's wing break off, before it spiraled downwards and crashed into the shallow waters in the small locality of El Huerto on Thursday afternoon. . .. ."It looked like it was doing maneuvers in the sky ... then I saw the wing come off and the plane fell. Then we heard a boom," one resident, Ramona Montera, said.. . </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">I think the true risk might be simply flying in any aircraft in Cuba.. . . . <small>[ 16 March 2002, 17:42: Message edited by: Cyclic Hotline ]</small>

During my time with Air Europe Italy I was constantly scared !!!!less everytime we positioned around the country in clapped out old YAK-40's. None of the Italian captains would complain (that would be non-macho)I gather Martinair will not use Cubana and have their own operated aircraft.

George: I've seen those old monsters coming along the beach at Varadero, and I'd be surprised if they were at 100 feet, or more than 100 yards out. I presumed at first that they were doing jollies, but the hotel manager said they were internal commercial flights into Varadero, and "they just do that."

Hmmm.... Usual accurate tabloid journalism:. .. .'Honeymoon Brits die in Jet Horror' from todays Daily Star. (Not that I was actually reading it of course!) It's actually identified as 'a single engined biplane' in the first paragraph. Perhaps they don't read what they write either.

but it is a single engined biplane ..non?

I meant the 'Jet' bit in the headline.

'taint, I did say (approx) as viewed from my balcony at the crew evening "get-together."

Sorry George, I didn't mean to be pedantic. Your judgement is probably better than mine. I just thought it lax and cavalier behaviour. Terrible for the people involved.

Someone got a picture of the plane?

<a href="http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ito-nori/ccc/ccc104.html" target="_blank">http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~ito-nori/ccc/ccc104.html</a>

BBC News is reporting that Cuban authorities say "high winds" were the cause of the crash: <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/england/newsid_1877000/1877349.stm" target="_blank">BBC Article</a>. .. .Deepest condolences to those involved.

Nightflyer,. .. .LTU Crews did a lot of Yak 40 - Proceedings as well. After several accidents (thanks God no crews involved) and several reports about the technical conditions the crews then had an option to go by bus or by plane (HAV-HOG). Most of them used the bus despite of an ugly 14 hrs ride.. .. .No one will get me into a Yak 40 again after experiencing a dual engine flame out when hitting a thunderstorm at 20.000 feet about 15 years ago.. .. .But dont´blame the cuban pilots. They are nice fellows and only have the choice of flying or ending up as a shepherd.

Try this link:. .<a href="http://www.riga.lv/zile/" target="_blank">http://www.riga.lv/zile/</a>

I flew the An-2 it was a very capable aircraft and you may be suprised to hear that it is the most numerous aircraft on the planet with 40,000 hulls being made in Russia a furhter 12,000 in Poland and a further 22,000 made in China under licence and call the YS something. May be not so rare after all.. .I was offered one when in Russia for the princely some of $200. The trouble was I wasn't sure it belonged to the chap trying to sell it. I had the choice of over 200 all in a line in varying states of decay. Did you know that every cylinder of the nine cylinder radial has its own log book with meticulous records of all the dimensions of the bore and pistons. Another mith as to the lack of maintenance records on Russian aircraft dispelled.. .I would trade flying my Bus for an An2 on the beach any day if I could get enough pay to live.

Yeah Richthoven, a double engine flameout in a Yak 40 at 20k sure takes a bit of topping. I take my toupee of to you. Phew !!!!

Wirelessantena,. .. .Where did you get your figures from? Most AN-2 sites agree that some 5,000 A2s were built in Russia between 1948-1960 when licences were granted to Mielec in Poland, who have since built nearly 12,000. Licences were also granted to China, who have been building it as the Yunshuji 5 or Y-5. The highest estimate I can find of completed airframes is 20,000.. . . . <small>[ 22 March 2002, 07:23: Message edited by: newswatcher ]</small>