What happened
On May 1, 2015, a Hawker aircraft, registered as N917TF, departed from an airfield in Venezuela. The flight was transporting two pilots and two passengers, alongside approximately 1.3 tons of narcotics, with an intended destination in Central America.
During the cruise phase over the Caribbean Sea near the coast of Colombia, the aircraft was intercepted by a fighter jet belonging to the Colombian Air Force. During this encounter, the right engine of the aircraft caught fire. Following the engine fire, the crew initiated a descent in a low, nose-down attitude, which resulted in the aircraft impacting the ocean surface and breaking apart.
Search efforts later recovered three deceased individuals and various pieces of wreckage on a beach situated northeast of Puerto Colombia. The cargo of narcotics was also discovered floating on the water's surface. All four fatalities were confirmed following the crash.
Findings
The aircraft's right engine ignited during an interception by a Colombian Air Force fighter jet, which led to the loss of control and subsequent impact with the sea.