What happened
During a night departure from Santiago de Cuba-Antonio Maceo Airport, an aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent while climbing through approximately 500 feet. The incident occurred just a few hundred meters away from the coastline, where the plane struck the ocean. Upon impact with the water, the airframe broke apart.
There were 44 fatalities recorded in the accident, representing the entire occupancy of the flight. Among the deceased were six individuals from Spain and two from Brazil. The crash occurred during the initial climb phase of the flight.
Findings
Investigation into the accident determined that the primary factor was a loss of control following the failure of the left engine, though the specific reason for the engine malfunction remains unidentified.