What happened
A scheduled cargo flight from Medellín to Miami was diverted to a maintenance ferry mission following technical complications with the number four engine. The decision was made by the operator and the crew to proceed to Miami using only three engines, intentionally leaving the fourth engine at idle power during the takeoff sequence.
Shortly after departing from Runway 01 at Medellín-Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport, the Boeing 747 (implied by engine configuration/context) experienced a severe loss of control. The aircraft rolled heavily to the right, reaching a 90-degree angle before impacting an industrial area approximately 350 meters beyond the runway threshold. The impact triggered a massive fire that consumed the airframe. The accident resulted in 25 fatalities, comprising all three crew members on board and 22 individuals on the ground.
Findings
Investigations into the disaster identified several critical contributing factors. A primary element was the choice to execute a takeoff with one engine partially non-functional. The crew lacked specialized training for managing this specific flight configuration, and the operator had not secured the necessary regulatory permissions for such a ferry operation. Furthermore, the combination of an irregular directional control procedure and the reduced power from the fourth engine led to insufficient airspeed during rotation, causing the total loss of control during the initial climb phase.