What happened
During the final approach to Santa Marta-Simón Bolívar Airport, the flight crew failed to maintain sufficient altitude, resulting in the aircraft making contact with the ground several dozen meters before reaching the runway threshold. Following this initial impact, the plane bounced and experienced a heavy landing on the runway surface.
As the aircraft touched down, the left main landing gear was partially detached from the airframe. This mechanical failure caused the plane to lose directional control, leading it to veer toward the left side of the runway. The sequence ended when the vehicle came to a complete stop off the paved surface.
Findings
- All 50 occupants were successfully evacuated from the aircraft without injury.
- The incident resulted in the aircraft being declared a total loss due to damage sustained during the excursion.
- The primary factor contributing to the accident was the insufficient altitude maintained during the final approach phase.