# LANICA

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Nicaraguan passenger airline

For the Italian automotive brand owned by Stellantis, see [Lancia](/source/Lancia).

LANICA IATA ICAO Call sign NI [1] — LANICA [citation needed] Founded June 1945 (1945-06) Commenced operations 1946 Ceased operations 1981 Hubs Augusto C. Sandino International Airport Headquarters Managua, Nicaragua

**Líneas Aéreas de Nicaragua**, operating as **LANICA**, was an airline from [Nicaragua](/source/Nicaragua). Headquartered in the capital [Managua](/source/Managua), it operated scheduled passenger flights within South and Central America, as well as to the United States.

## History

LANICA [Douglas DC-6B](/source/Douglas_DC-6) at [Miami International Airport](/source/Miami_International_Airport) in October 1970

[BAC 1-11](/source/BAC_1-11) of LANICA at [Miami](/source/Miami_International_Airport) in October 1970

[Convair 880](/source/Convair_880) of LANICA operating a scheduled passenger service to [Miami](/source/Miami_International_Airport) in December 1973

The [carrier](/source/Air_carrier) was founded in June 1945 (1945-06) as a subsidiary of [Pan American Airways](/source/Pan_American_Airways), with this airline initially holding 40% of the company. Domestic services began in 1946 with [Boeing 247](/source/Boeing_247) equipment.[2] The company bought the assets of a local airline called [Flota Aérea Nicaragüense](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flota_A%C3%A9rea_Nicarag%C3%BCense&action=edit&redlink=1) (FANSA) in 1950, acquiring the control of the lucrative routes to the mining towns of Bonanza and Siuna in the north.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

By March 1953 (1953-03), the carrier's route network was 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long.[3] At March 1955 (1955-03), the fleet comprised seven [DC-3s](/source/DC-3) and one [Navion](/source/Navion) that operated local routes;[4] that year, the airline carried 21,852 passengers.[5]

LANICA's fleet in April 1965 (1965-04) was composed of one DC-3, one [DC-4](/source/DC-4), one [DC-6](/source/Douglas_DC-6), and four [C-46s](/source/C-46), with the DC-6 flying to [Miami](/source/Miami_International_Airport) and [San Salvador](/source/San_Salvador).[6]

In early 1966, the carrier ordered a [BAC One-Eleven 400](/source/BAC_One-Eleven_400).[7] Pending delivery of this new aircraft, another [BAC One-Eleven](/source/BAC_One-Eleven), leased from [Aer Lingus](/source/Aer_Lingus), was deployed on the Managua–[Salvador](/source/San_Salvador)–Miami sector in November 1966 (1966-11).[8] Starting 19 October 1967 (1967-10-19),[9] LANICA's own BAC One-Eleven was operated on a joint-ownership basis with [TAN Airlines](/source/Transportes_A%C3%A9reos_Nacionales).[10] The last BAC 1-11 was disposed of in October 1972.[11]

Starting in May 1972, LANICA operated four examples of the larger four-engined [Convair 880](/source/Convair_880) jet airliner on their scheduled passenger services to [Miami](/source/Miami_International_Airport). The last was disposed of in 1977.[12]

Pan Am's participation in the airline had decreased to 10% by 1975; private investors held 85% of the company until July 1972 (1972-07), when [Howard Hughes](/source/Howard_Hughes) took control of 25% of it, through [Hughes Tool Company](/source/Hughes_Tool_Company), in exchange for the lease of two Convair 880s. By March 1975 (1975-03), LANICA's fleet consisted of two Convair 880s, three C-46s, and four DC-6s that served a route network including domestic services, as well as international passenger and cargo services to [Mexico City](/source/Mexico_City), Miami, and San Salvador.[13] Two more Convair 880s were acquired in 1977.[14]

The government of [Somoza](/source/Anastasio_Somoza_Debayle) was overthrown following the rise to power of the [Sandinistas](/source/Frente_Sandinista_de_Liberaci%C3%B3n_Nacional) in 1979.[15][16] The shares held by the [Somoza family](/source/Somoza_family) —the major stockholders at the time— were seized by the [Junta of National Reconstruction](/source/Junta_of_National_Reconstruction),[16] but the airline's debts were not absorbed by the new government.[17] LANICA was declared bankrupt by a Nicaraguan court in March 1981 (1981-03),[17][18] ceasing all operations on 31 August 1981.[19][*[unreliable source?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources)*] In May of that year, the airline had a fleet of two [Boeing 727-100s](/source/Boeing_727-100), three C-46s, one DC-6, and employed a 450-strong staff.[20] LANICA was succeeded by [Aeronica](/source/Aeronica) as Nicaragua's [flag carrier](/source/Flag_carrier).[21]

## Destinations

LANICA offered scheduled international passenger flights to the following destinations:[22]

**Argentina**

- [Buenos Aires](/source/Buenos_Aires)

**Chile**

- [Santiago de Chile](/source/Santiago_de_Chile)

**Costa Rica**

- [San José](/source/San_Jos%C3%A9%2C_Costa_Rica)

**Honduras**

- [San Pedro Sula](/source/San_Pedro_Sula)

**Ecuador**

- [Guayaquil](/source/Guayaquil)

**Guatemala**

- [Ciudad Guatemala](/source/Guatemala_City%2C_Guatemala)

**México**

- [Mexico D.F.](/source/Mexico_D.F.)

**Panamá**

- [Panama City](/source/Panama_City%2C_Panama)

**Perú**

- [Lima](/source/Lima)

**United States**

- [Miami](/source/Miami)

**Uruguay**

- [Montevideo](/source/Montevideo)

## Fleet

Over the years of its existence, LANICA operated the following aircraft types:[23]

Aircraft Introduced Retired Convair 880 Boeing 727 BAC One-Eleven Vickers Viscount 742-D Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando Douglas DC-3

## Accidents and incidents

Date Location Aircraft Tail number Aircraft damage Fatalities Description Refs 27 August 1948 Unknown Douglas C-47-DL AN-ACZ W/O Unknown Unknown [24] 23 January 1957 Ometepe Island Douglas R4D-5 AN-AEC W/O 16/16 Control of the aircraft was lost while flying the last leg of a domestic scheduled Managua–Bluefields–San Carlos–Managua passenger service. Crashed into Concepción after banking sharply to the left. A fire erupted following the crash, destroying the airframe completely. [25] February 1960 Unknown Douglas C-47A AN-ADQ W/O Unknown Unknown [26] 5 April 1960 Siuna C-46A AN-AIN W/O 2/18 Crashed on a hillside while operating a domestic Siuna–Bonanza scheduled passenger service. [27] 4 November 1969 Unknown BAC One-Eleven unknown none none Two hijackers commandeered the aircraft during a flight from Managua, Nicaragua, to San Salvador, El Salvador, demanding to be flown to Cuba. Instead, the airliner diverted to Grand Cayman Island in the Cayman Islands. [28] 25 February 1976 Managua C-46D AN-AOC W/O 0 Landing gear collapse during touchdown at Managua Airport. [29][30] 17 March 1976 Puerto Cabezas C-46A AN-BGA W/O 0 Unknown [31] 16 May 1980 Bonanza C-46A YN-BVL W/O 0 Crashed at Bonanza-San Pedro Airport after striking a ditch on landing. [32] 13 November 1980 Panama City Douglas DC-6BF YN-BVI W/O 0 Nosegear collapse. [33]

## See also

- [Nicaragua portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Nicaragua)
- [Aviation portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Aviation)

- [Transport in Nicaragua](/source/Transport_in_Nicaragua)

## Bibliography

- Eastwood, Tony, and Roach, John. *Jet Airliner Production List*. 2004. The Aviation Hobby Shop. ISBN none.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-atdb_1-0)** [Information about LANICA at the Aero Transport Data Bank](http://www.aerotransport.org)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Flight1960-503_2-0)** ["Airlines of the World – Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA—LANICA"](https://web.archive.org/web/20191002213337/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%200503.html). *[Flight](/source/Flight_(magazine))*. **77** (2665): 503. 8 April 1960. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%200503.html) on 2 October 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Flight1953-312_3-0)** ["The World's airlines – La Nica (Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua, S.A.)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135135/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1953/1953%20-%200314.html). *[Flight](/source/Flight_(magazine))*. **LXIII** (2302): 312. 6 March 1953. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1953/1953%20-%200314.html) on 27 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Flight1955-306_4-0)** ["World airline directory – La Nica (Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua, S.A.)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135133/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%200306.html). *[Flight](/source/Flight_(magazine))*. **67** (2407): 306. 11 March 1955. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%200306.html) on 27 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Flight1956-473_5-0)** ["World airline directory – Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua, S.A.—LANICA"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305082538/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200473.html). *[Flight](/source/Flight_(magazine))*. **69** (2465): 473. 20 April 1956. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%200473.html) on 5 March 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1965-589_6-0)** ["World airline survey – Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA (Lanica)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160306090523/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%202157.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **87** (2927): 589. 15 April 1965. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%202157.html) on 6 March 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1966-582_7-0)** ["Air transport... – One-Eleven for Nicaragua"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160306222349/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1966/1966%20-%201005.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **89** (2979): 562. 14 April 1966. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1966/1966%20-%201005.html) on 6 March 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1967-577_8-0)** ["World airline survey – Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA (Lanica)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135142/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%200591.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **91** (3031): 577. 13 April 1967. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%200591.html) on 27 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1969-578_9-0)** ["World airline survey – Lanica (Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135138/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%201831.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **95** (3135): 578. 10 April 1969. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%201831.html) on 27 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1969-431_10-0)** ["Air transport"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927135140/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%201676.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **95** (3132): 431. 20 March 1969. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%201676.html) on 27 September 2013. Taxying in at San Salvador's [Ilopango Airport](/source/Ilopango_Airport) is the BAC One-Eleven 400 which was originally bought by Lanica of Nicaragua and which now operates services with TAN Airlines of Honduras on a joint-ownership basis.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Eastwood and Roach 2004. p. 170

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Eastwood and Roach. 2004. pp. 219-222

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1975-492_13-0)** ["World airline survey – Lanica (Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927171035/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200556.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **108** (3445): 492. 20 March 1975. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200556.html) on 27 September 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1977-1029_14-0)** ["Airliner market"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927170733/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1977/1977%20-%201089.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **109** (3495): 516. 16 April 1977. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1977/1977%20-%201089.html) on 27 September 2013. Lanica of Nicaragua has acquired two more Convair CV-880s.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Sandinistas_remember_their_revolt_15-0)** ["Sandinistas remember their revolt"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3907209.stm). *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*. 19 July 2004. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131002205724/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3907209.stm) from the original on 2 October 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Flights_to_Nicaragua_resumes_as_Lanica_starts_'from_zero'_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Flights_to_Nicaragua_resumes_as_Lanica_starts_'from_zero'_16-1) Golden, Arthur (1 November 1979). ["Flights to Nicaragua resumes as Lanica starts 'from zero'"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ktYzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dOsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=935,143108&dq=la+nica&hl=en). *[The Miami News](/source/The_Miami_News)*.[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Lanica_Airlines_files_bankruptcy_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Lanica_Airlines_files_bankruptcy_17-1) ["Lanica Airlines files bankruptcy"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kwJVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HJQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3839,3790614&dq=la+nica&hl=en). *[Boca Raton News](/source/Boca_Raton_News)*. [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press). 19 April 1981.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Nicaraguan_Airline_Fails_18-0)** ["Nicaraguan Airline Fails"](https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/18/business/nicaraguan-airline-fails.html?pagewanted=print). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. 18 March 1981.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** [Historia de LANICA](http://www.nicaragua-actual.info/lanica.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1981-1446_20-0)** ["World airline directory – Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua SA (Lanica)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131003050202/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%201444.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **119** (3758): 1446. 16 May 1981. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0015-3710](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0015-3710). Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%201444.html) on 3 October 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1981-1738_21-0)** ["Air transport"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131003050420/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%203858.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **120** (3788): 1738. 12 December 1981. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0015-3710](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0015-3710). Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%203858.html) on 3 October 2013. Aeronica is the new Nicaraguan state carrier, having been formed when Lanica was declared bankrupt.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** [Aeronica timetables at timetableimages.com](http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ni.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** [LANICA at AeroTransport database](http://www.aerotransport.org/php/go.php?query=operator&qstring=Lanica&where=11574&luck=)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Accident description for AN-ACZ"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19480827-2). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Accident description for AN-AEC"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19570123-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** ["Accident description for AN-ADQ"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19600299-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["Accident description for AN-AIN"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19600405-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["Accident description for BAC One-Eleven"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19691104-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-29)** ["Accident description for AN-AOC"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19760225-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FI1976-516_30-0)** ["World news – Public-transport accidents"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130927170839/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1976/1976%20-%200356.html). *[Flight International](/source/Flight_International)*. **111** (3553): 516. 6 March 1976. Archived from [the original](http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1976/1976%20-%200356.html) on 27 September 2013. A Lineas Aereas de Nicaragua Curtiss CW-20, AN-AOC, was damaged on landing at Managua on February 25 when the starboard undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft was badly damaged but there were no passenger injures.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-31)** ["Accident description for AN-BGA"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19760317-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-32)** ["Accident description for YN-BVL"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19800516-0). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-33)** ["Accident description for YN-BVI"](https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19801113-1). *[Aviation Safety Network](/source/Aviation_Safety_Network)*.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [LANICA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LANICA) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LANICA?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.