1985 Cubana de Aviación Ilyushin Il-18 crash

1985 aviation accident in Cuba June 2026 Events June 2026 Cubana Ilyushin Il-18D Volpati-1.jpg CU-T899, the aircraft involved in the accident, photographed in 1971 Accident yes 1985 01 19 San José de las Lajas, Cuba 22 58 10 N 82 11 36 W type:event_region:Cuba inline,title Ilyushin Il-18D Cubana de Aviación CU-T899 José Martí International Airport, Havana, Cuba Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, Managua, Nicaragua 38 33 5 38 0 On 19 January 1985, a Cubana de Aviación Ilyushin Il-18D, operating a scheduled international flight from José Martí International Airport, Cuba, to Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, Nicaragua. It crashed near San José de las Lajas, Cuba, killing all 38 people on board. The crash was attributed to a malfunctioning artificial horizon or shifting of the aircraft's cargo. There were a large number of Nicaraguan government officials killed in the crash, including the vice president of the Central Bank of Nicaragua, the secretary of international relations of the Sandinista Workers' Centre and the American secretary of the Committee for Peace. The crash was one of the worst aviation accidents in Cuba.https://www.granma.cu/cuba/2018-05-18/cuba-un-pais-poco-acostumbrado-a-las-catastrofes-aereas-18-05-2018-17-05-49 Cuba, un país poco acostumbrado a las catástrofes aéreas Cuba, a country little accustomed to air disasters es Granma 18 May 2018 Redacción Internacional 19 de enero de 1985: El vuelo con matrícula CU-Y899 de Cubana de Aviación se estrella cerca de San José de Las Lajas, a 30 kilómetros de La Habana. El avión cubría la ruta Habana con dirección Managua cuando perdió el control y se precipitó a tierra. La investigación apuntó a que se produjo un incendio en uno de los motores. Víctimas: 41 January 19, 1985: Cubana de Aviación flight CU-Y899 crashed near San José de Las Lajas, 30 kilometers from Havana. The aircraft was flying from Havana to Managua when it lost control and plummeted to the ground. The investigation indicated that a fire broke out in one of the engines. Fatalities: 41 Accident The flight was operated by Cubana de Aviación with a 1968 Soviet-build Ilyushin Il-18D registered as CU-T899 (MSN: 188011102). The aircraft took off from José Martí International Airport in Havana, heading to Managua, Nicaragua, at around 8 am local time. Shortly after takeoff the aircraft banked 30 degrees right two times, then baked left with a sharper angle and eventually crashed into a highway near San José de las Lajas, southwest of Havana. According to witnessess the aircraft was in trouble directly after take-off. All 38 people on board were killed.https://www.airsafe.com/events/airlines/cubana.htm Cubana plane crashes 25 December 2018 13 August 2025 AirSafe.com Victims On board there were 38 people, five crew members and 33 passengers.https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/327278 Loss of control Accident Ilyushin Il-18D CU-T899 Saturday 19 January 1985 13 August 2025 Aviation Safety Networkhttps://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-ilyushin-ii-18d-near-havana-38-killed Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D near Havana: 38 killed 13 August 2025 Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archive Initial reports stated a total of 40 people (32 passengers and 8 crew members). In total, victims included 10 people from Nicaragua, one from United States, Argentina, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Mexico and the others, 17 passengers and all eight crew members,https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/01/21/Nicaraguans-killed-in-plane-crash-transported-to-Managua/7945475131600/ Nicaraguans killed in plane crash transported to Managua UPI 21 January 1985 23 March 2026 were from Cuba.https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/20/world/around-the-world-cuban-airliner-crashes-killing-all-40-aboard.html AROUND THE WORLD; Cuban Airliner Crashes, Killing All 40 Aboard The New York Times 20 January 1985 13 August 2025 https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010643205:mpeg21:a0002 Veertig doden bij luchtramp op Cuba Amigoe 21 January 1985 Delpher 23 March 2026 nl-nl Forty dead in air disaster in Cuba The ten Nicaraguan people onboard included multiple government officials. One of them was Noel Gonzalez, the vice president of the Central Bank of Nicaragua, Francisco Gonzalez, the secretary of international relations of the Sandinista Workers' Centre and Hanz Gutierrez, an official in a Nicaraguan government's planning and budget ministry and embassy worker Marcos Valle. Next to them the daughter and of the Nicaraguan Ambassador in Cuba and the daughter of Doris Maria Tijerino who is the deputy interior minister were killed.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-01-20-mn-10730-story.html A Cuban jetliner bound for Nicaragua crashed... Los Angeles Times 20 January 1985 23 March 2026 en The American onboard was Sandy Pollack, secretary of the 'Committee for Peace' in the United States. Investigation Initial reports stated a technical malfunction of the aircraft caused the crash. It was also stated the aircraft couldn't make contact with a control tower on the Isle of Youth, south of the western coast of Cuba.https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010593505:mpeg21:a0008 Veel doden na crashes vliegtuigen Limburgsch Dagblad 21 January 1985 Delpher 23 March 2026 nl-nl Many dead after plane crasheshttps://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010569851:mpeg21:a0130 In het kort Havana Nederlands Dagblad 22 January 1985 Delpher 23 March 2026 nl-nl In short Havana Cuba investigated the crash. The final investigation couldn't determine the exact cause of the crash. Two possible reaseons were indicated. At first failure of the artificial horizon; the flight instrument that indicates the orientation; could have cause the crash. It is also possible that the cargo shifted during the turn to the right, modifying the Center of Gravity and resulting in the loss of control of the aircraft. The main finding of the investigation indicated that a fire broke out in one of the engines. Postponing events The ceremony of the awarding of the "Augusto Cesar Sandino medal" to the chatolic priest Ernesto Cardenal, which was scheduled to take place in Nicaragua, was postponed due to the crash.https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/01/19/Fatal-crash-in-Cuba-postpones-Nicaraguan-awards-ceremony/3050948893407/ Fatal crash in Cuba postpones Nicaraguan awards ceremony 19 January 1985 Bonilla 13 August 2025 UPI Oswaldo Nicaraguan bodies return On 21 January, the ten Nicaraguans who were killed in the crash, where transported with a special flight to Managua. The return ceremony of this return was attended by among others Cuban President Fidel Castro. References Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1985 Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in Cuba Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Ilyushin Il-18 Category:January 1985 in North America Category:1985 in Cuba Category:1985 disasters in North America Category:San José de las Lajas