What happened
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the flight crew identified a reduction in power from the left-side engine. In response to this mechanical issue, the captain attempted an emergency return to the runway. However, the aircraft had only 950 meters of runway remaining at the time of the decision.
The aircraft was unable to decelerate sufficiently before reaching the end of the runway, where it collided with arresting cables designed for the Douglas A4Q Skyhawk operated by the Argentinian Navy. The force of the impact caused significant structural damage to both wings. This collision resulted in the puncturing of the fuel tanks, which led to an intense fire at the crash site.
Despite the severity of the accident and the resulting flames, all 74 occupants were successfully evacuated from the aircraft without injury. The aircraft itself sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
The investigation determined that the crew initiated an aborted takeoff after the takeoff sequence had already been completed. This decision was influenced by a distraction involving a large bird that flew past the left windscreen, which coincided with the aircraft touching down on the runway again after its initial liftoff. The primary contributing factor was the erroneous decision to abort the takeoff following the completion of the departure procedure.