TACA Airlines Flight 390 crashes in Honduras

May 31, 2008

Five people were killed and many others injured after Flight 390 of TACA airlines overran the runway at the Toncontín International Airport in Tegucigalpa. The Airbus 320 held dozens of people on board including both passengers and crew, although various accounts are inconsistently reporting occupant numbers. Flight 390 began in San Salvador, El Salvador and just departed its intermediate stop at Tegucigalpa before it was to continue towards Miami, United States.

The plane fell to the city streets while approaching the runway at approximately 1600 UTC (10 am local time). The accident occurred in the midst of bad weather from tropical storm "Alma". Among the casualties confirmed are the president of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, Harry Brautigam.

Airport Closure
According to statements by the president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, after the accident the airport would be closed and its flights rerouted through the military-operated Soto Cano Air Base, formerly known as Palmerola Air Base.