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Puerto Plata - history of mountain crash
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Thanks for clearing that up. First I heard 100 people died and another had it at twelve
Yes that tragic crash occurred 3 days before we moved here in November 1992. The previous tenant in a house we rented was the widow of a doctor who lost his life in that crash. But if memory serves me correct the scar on Isabel de Torres wasn't caused by the crash. I think it happened a few months later in May 1993 during torrential rains which caused landslides.
Yes I also heard that the scar on the mountain is not due to the plane crash, I had thought the same thing for a while until someone knowledgable about the incident corrected me.
If you are referring to the land-scar visible from Puerto Plata on the left side of the mountain & stretching from the top to about 300 meters or so down, ........ sorry, that was NOT caused by an air crash. It is the result of a landslide that occurred in May 1993.
The airplane that went into the mountain in November 1992 actually happened round the back of the mountain & wreckage of it was taken to Imbert - several parts of the wreckage were available to be viewed at the cafe/restaurant on the right side of the road in Imbert (travelling towards Santiago). The young lady that acted as our lawyer on the first house we rented here & who was the previous tenant of that house, actually lost her husband on that flight. ~ Grahame.
Oooops, I see the boss got in first!
I believe that the Cuban airliner that crashed into Isabela De Tores, crashed into the front side, either exactly or close to where we now see the scar.
I went to the scene of the accident either the following day or the day after.
The plane was planted deep into the mountainside, with a portion of it's tail sticking out.
There wasn't a single person overseeing or guarding the area, and we walked around and examined it and picked a few things up.
We drove up the mountain, and accessed the woods from the last steep portion that is paved, then walked a bit more towards the East, 2 or 3 minutes through the woods, to arrive at the plane.
At that time, there was little scarring, other than the impact area.
I contend that a lot of the top soil was torn away, along with vegetation, and that jet fuel spilled out and poisoined the land.
With time, the scarred area has grown larger.
Unless my sense of direction is completely out of whack, and that the last paved portion of the road to the mountaintop, is not on the North side, or at least, facing towards the ocean, then the plane hit the front of the mountain.
I went to the scene of the accident either the following day or the day after.
The plane was planted deep into the mountainside, with a portion of it's tail sticking out.
There wasn't a single person overseeing or guarding the area, and we walked around and examined it and picked a few things up.
We drove up the mountain, and accessed the woods from the last steep portion that is paved, then walked a bit more towards the East, 2 or 3 minutes through the woods, to arrive at the plane.
At that time, there was little scarring, other than the impact area.
I contend that a lot of the top soil was torn away, along with vegetation, and that jet fuel spilled out and poisoined the land.
With time, the scarred area has grown larger.
Unless my sense of direction is completely out of whack, and that the last paved portion of the road to the mountaintop, is not on the North side, or at least, facing towards the ocean, then the plane hit the front of the mountain.
Correction time
After spending some time with alanindr & Google Earth, it is now clear to me that the approach to the mountiantop is not where I thought it was, as it approaches from the South West.
That being the road I took, to walk into the woods to the crash site, I was way West of the scarred area on the mountain, thus have been mistaken all these years, thinking the scar was from the crash.
Sorry for misleading anyone.
My sense of direction failed me.
Please don't throw stones.
After spending some time with alanindr & Google Earth, it is now clear to me that the approach to the mountiantop is not where I thought it was, as it approaches from the South West.
That being the road I took, to walk into the woods to the crash site, I was way West of the scarred area on the mountain, thus have been mistaken all these years, thinking the scar was from the crash.
Sorry for misleading anyone.
My sense of direction failed me.
Please don't throw stones.
does anyone know about the plane crash that happened In Li Cey Al Medio....on route 14 they have an engine and a propeller tied to a telephone pole to mark where a plane crashed many years ago...plus not far is another propeller tied to something to hold it up....
this crash if it did occur , would seem to be a long time ago, like the early 70 or 60s...I am not sure.
But now that this post came along my interest is renewed.
hope i didnt hijack the thread.
bob
this crash if it did occur , would seem to be a long time ago, like the early 70 or 60s...I am not sure.
But now that this post came along my interest is renewed.
hope i didnt hijack the thread.
bob
Yes, I remember it well!
My first trip to POP, November 1992 - on a fam trip - the air crash - the investigators basically took over POP Village Resort - all of a sudden 32 travel agents touring and staying in the newly opened resort (actually not even completely finished) were shoved aside because all attention was focused on the crash. I realize that it was a tragedy - just telling you how it was for all of us - I do feel bad for the victims, of course.
But... like Lambada and BushBaby say - the actual damage to the mountain side was caused by a massive landslide in May of 1993. I, by then, was living there and working at POP Village when I just happened to go back to Canada for a week (do you remember that Grahame?) (and to nurse a very nasty motoconcho burn on my leg) and missed it all! Came back and my first thought was "what the hell!" I stood on my balcony thinking - I leave and all hell breaks loose!! I was used to having my morning coffee sitting on the balcony looking at the mountain, and then its beauty (to me, at least) was taken away.
I could not believe what I saw.
Marlie
My first trip to POP, November 1992 - on a fam trip - the air crash - the investigators basically took over POP Village Resort - all of a sudden 32 travel agents touring and staying in the newly opened resort (actually not even completely finished) were shoved aside because all attention was focused on the crash. I realize that it was a tragedy - just telling you how it was for all of us - I do feel bad for the victims, of course.
But... like Lambada and BushBaby say - the actual damage to the mountain side was caused by a massive landslide in May of 1993. I, by then, was living there and working at POP Village when I just happened to go back to Canada for a week (do you remember that Grahame?) (and to nurse a very nasty motoconcho burn on my leg) and missed it all! Came back and my first thought was "what the hell!" I stood on my balcony thinking - I leave and all hell breaks loose!! I was used to having my morning coffee sitting on the balcony looking at the mountain, and then its beauty (to me, at least) was taken away.
I could not believe what I saw.
Marlie
Certainly remember the motoconcho accident since it was the driver of the bus I was tour guiding who caused it, I believe............:ermm:
Yes I too used to look at Isabel de Torres every morning - that's how I know the landslide happened overnight. One morning the mountain was green & the next it was brown. Literally happened in a day although we couldn't really see the full picture for a few days because it was raining so hard that there was very little visibility.
Marlie, if you've still got the first chapter of my book you'll find the story of the widow from the Ilyushin aircraft crash and how we met her.
I would never get rid of your writings - you know that!
Actually, though, you didn't send me that particular chapter!
Back to the mountainside slide- I just went back and looked at all my pics - how depressing that was to see how nature can rear its ugly head!
Marlie
I don't look at that scar on the mountain as ugly. It's an event of nature and nature will alter it over time.
A natural phenomenon that I find a marvel is the run off of silt from the Ozama River in Santo Domingo after heavy rans which turns the ocean front brown for miles to the west. Others are repelled by this phenomenon.
A natural phenomenon that I find a marvel is the run off of silt from the Ozama River in Santo Domingo after heavy rans which turns the ocean front brown for miles to the west. Others are repelled by this phenomenon.
ok I know this is late, but I was going through some of my photos and realize I took some photos of the scar while I flew into the country on AA.
I guess better late than never
bob
I guess better late than never
bob
That second pic is really good...........and I see the scar every day from my study window. Can you imagine what it was like when all the trees, brush, scrub etc came barrelling down into town?
Back in 2004, my girlfriend and I went on a crazy hike up that mountain and we happened upon whats left of the wreckage. We started our hike at the base of the mountain, near the starting point of the gondola ride. We got lost at some point and started hiking directly beneath the gondola. Then we hit the steep part of the mountain. It was actually so steep that we had to use our hands to pull ourselves up the mountain. At one point, I looked up and saw a pair of jeans hanging in a tree. I thought that was odd, but I continued hiking. Then, about 50 yards later, I looked up, and in front of me were two big cigar-shaped engines. They were in a small clearing on the mountain. Scattered around were small pieces of clothing and debris. I figured it must have been an airplane wreck, and my girlfriend took a picture of me standing on top of the engines. It wasn't until I reached the top of the mountain that I was able to confirm the plane wreck with the the gondola driver. I will have to post that picture as soon as I find it.
As for the scar on the mountain, that scar is on the other side of the mountain from the plane crash. The locals must have gotten the two events confused when they said the plane cause the scar.
As for the scar on the mountain, that scar is on the other side of the mountain from the plane crash. The locals must have gotten the two events confused when they said the plane cause the scar.
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