Aviation Accident: Bomb Explosion Near Bogotá (HK-1803)

Incident Overview and Flight Details The aircraft departed Bogotá-El Dorado Airport from Runway 12 at 0711 local time, bound for Cali. The flight carried 101 passengers and six crew members. Four minutes after departure, the crew reported over the Techo radio beacon at 10,500 feet, cleared to proceed to Girardot 1 via 240 degrees. ## Crash Sequence Approximately one minute later, while climbing to flight level 130, the aircraft experienced an explosion and crashed into hilly terrain near Soacha, located about 16 kilometers south of Bogotá Airport. The aircraft disintegrated upon impact, resulting in the deaths of all 107 people on board. ## Crew Information The flight crew consisted of Jose Ignacio Ossa Aristizabal as pilot, Fernando Pizarro Esguerra as copilot, Luis Jairo Castiblanco Vargas as flight engineer, and Rita Elisa Galvis Becerra as flight attendant. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by the explosion of a bomb placed in the cabin before takeoff. The explosive device, composed of Semtex (a mixture of RDX and PETN components), had been positioned near section 783 of the fuselage by members of a Colombian cartel targeting a high-ranking Colombian police officer and four colleagues. The explosion created a tear between the cabin and the root of the right wing, allowing fuel from the right wing tanks to ignite and spread into the cabin. Additionally, the hydraulic systems and all controls were rendered inoperable, making it impossible for the pilots to maintain control of the aircraft.