No fatalities

1980-12-20: Boeing 707 (HK-2410) — Aerotal Colombia - Aerolineas Territoriales de Colombia — Bogotá-El Dorado, Colombia

Bogotá-El Dorado, ColombiaLanding (descent or approach)

On December 20, 1980, a Boeing 707 (registration HK-2410) operated by Aerotal Colombia - Aerolineas Territoriales de Colombia was involved in an aviation accident near Bogotá-El Dorado, Colombia during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot lost visual reference to the runway environment due to encountering heavy rain and dense fog during final approach. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781223111Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 707
Photo: USAF / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

An aircraft struck the ground during its final approach to runway 12 after encountering severe weather conditions, resulting in injuries to all crew members.

What happened

During the final approach phase toward runway 12, the aircraft encountered a period of intense precipitation and thick fog. As the plane moved through these heavy rain falls and dense fog, the pilot-in-command likely lost sight of the runway and its associated lighting systems. This loss of visual reference led to a descent that ended in a ground impact.

Following the collision with the terrain, the aircraft's landing gear was torn away. The structural integrity of the plane failed, causing it to break into multiple fragments. A fire subsequently erupted at the wreckage site. There were four injuries reported among the crew members on board.

Findings

  • The primary factor in the accident was the loss of visual contact with the runway due to heavy rain and dense fog.

Probable cause

The pilot lost visual reference to the runway environment due to encountering heavy rain and dense fog during final approach.