What happened
On the second leg of flight AF422, an Airbus A340 operated by TAME under a wet-lease agreement for Air France was traveling from Bogotá to Quito. Shortly after departing runway 13 at Bogotá-El Dorado Airport, the aircraft was instructed to follow the Girardot 1 departure procedure. This maneuver required the flight crew to maintain the runway heading for two miles before executing a 90-degree right turn over the Romeo beacon.
During the initial climb, the aircraft failed to follow the prescribed path and continued straight along the runway heading. The plane subsequently struck Mt El Cable, located in the vicinity of the airport. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and the wreckage was discovered approximately 50 meters below the mountain's summit. There were 53 fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported.
Findings
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were characterized by rain, cumulonimbus clouds, and low visibility with cloud bases at 2,300 feet. The investigation determined that the crew experienced a loss of situational awareness while operating in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). This led to a failure to adhere to the published Girardot 1 departure instructions, resulting in the aircraft deviating from its intended course and colliding with terrain.