What happened
On the scheduled flight from Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport to Cali, with an intended stop in Tulcán, the aircraft was cruising at 18,000 feet along airway G-675. The flight was carrying a total of 94 occupants, consisting of 87 passengers and 7 crew members. While approximately 29 nautical miles from Tulcán, the crew received clearance to descend to 14,000 feet and received updated weather information for their destination.
During the descent, the aircraft deviated from established procedures. The crew initiated a descent at a speed of 230 knots, which significantly exceeded the required approach speed of 180 knots. Additionally, the flight path did not align with the prescribed approach track for Tulcán-Teniente Coronel Luis A. Mantilla Airport. While operating in low visibility caused by cloud cover, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt El Cumbal, located roughly 30 km northwest of Ipiales, at an altitude of 14,700 feet. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and there were 94 fatalities. The debris was located 1,400 feet below the mountain's summit.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical errors in flight operations. The instructor captain and crew chose to proceed with the approach to Tulcán despite weather conditions being below the minimums required by company standard operating procedures.
Furthermore, the pilot-in-command and instructor captain failed to maintain proper navigation and aircraft control. This included performing a holding pattern at the Tulcán radio beacon at an excessive speed of 230 knots, surpassing the 180-knot limit. The crew also utilized a bank angle of only 15 degrees, which was below the recommended range of 25 to 30 degrees. These combined factors caused the aircraft to exceed lateral navigation and obstacle protection limits, ultimately resulting in the collision with Mt El Cumbal.