Transportes Aéreos Nacionales

Transportes Aéreos Nacionales SA, also known as TAN Airlines,[1] was a Honduran airline, headquartered at the Edificio TAN in Tegucigalpa.[2] The carrier was set up in 1947 and merged into SAHSA, another Honduran airline, in November 1991 (1991-11).

Not to be confused with Transportes Aéreos Nacional.
Transportes Aéreos Nacionales
IATA ICAO Callsign
TX TAN
Founded1947 (1947)
Ceased operations1 November 1991 (1991-11-01) (merged with Sahsa)
HeadquartersTegucigalpa, Honduras

History
A Transportes Aéreos Nacionales Lockheed L-188AF Electra at Miami International Airport in 1989.

The airline was formed in 1947 by private investors to operate cargo flights by contract. In 1950, the company started scheduled passenger and cargo services. At March 1960 (1960-03), the fleet consisted of three C-46s serving a route network that was 1,180 miles (1,900 km) long.[3] In 1967, TAN and LANICA agreed to operate LANICA's single BAC One-Eleven 400 jet on a joint basis;[4] the joint operation of the aircraft started on 19 October 1967 (1967-10-19).[5]

TAN Airlines Douglas DC-6A freighter at Miami Airport in 1978.

The airline acquired a Douglas DC-6A freighter aircraft in March 1973 and operated it until its sale in September 1979, using it particularly on their route to Miami.[6]

In February 1970 (1970-02), TAN acquired Pan Am's 38% holding in SAHSA.[1] According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), TAN was operating a Convair 880 jet in 1972 on flights to Miami.[7] An ex-Pluna Boeing 737-200 jet was incorporated into the fleet in May 1974 (1974-05).[8] The aircraft was part of the fleet by March 1975 (1975-03), along with one DC-6B and two Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprops; at this time, the airline had 400 employees.[1] According to the OAG, in 1980 TAN was serving Miami nonstop from Belize City and San Pedro Sula as well as operating direct flights to Miami from La Ceiba and Tegucigalpa primarily with the Boeing 737-200 with some passenger flights being operated with the Lockheed L-188 Electra.[9]

In October 1989 (1989-10), the company experienced its worst accident when a Boeing 727-200 crashed on approach to Toncontín Airport, killing 131 occupants on board.[10][11]

On 1 November 1991, TAN Airlines merged with Sahsa, adopting the latter name.[12][13]

Destinations

Transportes Aéreos Nacionales served the following destinations all through its history:[14]

Belize
Honduras
Mexico
United States

Accidents and incidents

As of March 2012, Aviation Safety Network recorded six accidents or incidents for Transportes Aéreos Nacionales, totalling at least 138 fatalities. The worst accident in the airline's history occurred in October 1989 (1989-10), when a Boeing 727 crashed on approach to Toncontín Airport in Tegucigalpa, killing 131 of 146 occupants of the aircraft.[10] As of September 2013, the accident remains the deadliest one to occur on Honduran soil.[15] Following is a list of accidents/incidents experienced by the carrier; the list includes events in which there were fatalities, the aircraft involved resulted damaged beyond repair, or both.

Date Location Aircraft Tail number Aircraft damage Fatalities Description Refs
27 August 1948 Unknown Douglas C-47-DL TI-107 W/O Unknown Disappeared. [16]
6 January 1962 Belize City Curtiss C-46A HR-TNB W/O 1/2 Failed to gain height following takeoff from Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport because of overloading. [17]
30 June 1966 Tegucigalpa Douglas DC-6 HR-TNG W/O 0/3 Skidded off the runway on landing at Toncontín Airport. [18]
27 January 1973 Off Tegucigalpa Douglas DC-6A HR-TNO W/O 3/3 The aircraft was completing a Miami–Tegucigalpa cargo service when it crashed 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of Tegucigalpa, on approach to Tocontín Airport, catching fire. [19]
21 October 1989 Tegucigalpa Boeing 727-200 N88705 W/O 131/146 Descended below the glideslope on approach to Toncontín Airport, crashing into a hill, 4.8 nautical miles (8.9 km; 5.5 mi) from the runway threshold. The aircraft had been leased from Continental Air Lines, and was completing the last leg of an international scheduled San José–Managua–Tegucigalpa passenger service as Flight 414. [11][20]
21 March 1990 Tegucigalpa L-188CF HR-TNL W/O 3/3 Crashed into mountainous terrain on approach to Toncontín Airport in bad weather. The aircraft was completing a San Pedro Sula–Tegucigalpa cargo service. [21]
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See also

Bibliography
  • Roach, J and Eastwood, A.B., Piston Engined Airliner Production List, The Aviation Hobby Shop, West Drayton, Middlesex, 2007, ISBN None.

References
  1. "World airline directory – Transportes Aereos Nacionales SA (TAN Airlines)". Flight International. 108 (3445): 507. 20 March 1975. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013.
  2. "World Airline Directory – Transportes Aereos Nacionales (TAN Airlines)". Flight International. 137 (4207): 134. 14–20 March 1990. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
  3. "Transportes Aereos Nacionales SA—TAN Airlines". Flight. 77 (2665): 514. 8 April 1960. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013.
  4. "Air transport – TAN-Lanica Co-operation". Flight International. 92 (3062): 797. 16 November 1967. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Lanica, the Nicaraguan airline, has agreed to joint operation of its BAC One-Eleven 400 with TAN Airlines of Honduras.
  5. "World airline survey – Lanica (Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA)". Flight International. 95 (3135): 578. 10 April 1969. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013.
  6. Roach and Eastwood, 2007, p. 291
  7. 1970 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Miami flight schedules
  8. "World airlines update". Flight International. 106 (3422): 516. 17 October 1974. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Transportes Aereos Nacionales (TAN Airlines of Honduras) has acquired a 737-200 previously operated by Pluna. The aircraft was delivered to TAN in May following repossession by Boeing.
  9. http://www.departedflights.com/MIA80intro.html
  10. "Accident record for TAN Honduras". Aviation Safety Network. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  11. "Plane Crashes in Honduras, Killing at Least 131". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 22 October 1989. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. "World airline directory – Transportes Aereos Nacionales (TAN Airlines)". Flight International. 141 (4311): 125. 25–31 March 1992. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
  13. "World airline directory – Servicio Aéreo de Honduras (SAHSA)". Flight International. 141 (4311): 117. 25–31 March 1992. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
  14. "Timetable (Effective 30 June 1974)" (in Spanish). Airline Timetable Images. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
  15. "Accident record for Honduras". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  16. Accident description for TI-107 at the Aviation Safety Network
  17. Accident description for HR-TNB at the Aviation Safety Network
  18. Accident description for HR-TNG at the Aviation Safety Network
  19. Accident description for HR-TNO at the Aviation Safety Network
  20. Accident description for N88705 at the Aviation Safety Network
  21. Accident description for HR-TNL at the Aviation Safety Network

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