What happened
A night cargo operation involving a Boeing 727 departed from Bogotá-El Dorado Airport destined for Leticia. The flight was transporting a large shipment of fish along with three passengers and three crew members. During the descent toward Leticia-Alfredo Vásquez Cobo Airport, the flight crew received updates regarding deteriorating weather conditions at the destination, noting that visibility had dropped to 4 km due to patches of fog.
Because runway 21 lacked approach lighting, the crew requested that air traffic control increase the intensity of the existing runway lights. While performing the short final phase of the approach, the aircraft struck a television antenna at an altitude of approximately 150 feet. The impact caused the plane to crash into a wooded area roughly 3.7 km before reaching the threshold of runway 21. The collision resulted in a post-crash fire that destroyed the aircraft, and all six fatalities were recorded among the occupants.
Findings
The investigation determined that the crew attempted to conduct the approach under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) during the night despite visibility levels failing to meet the necessary minimums for such operations. This transition from Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) was a critical error. The following factors contributed to the accident:
- Inadequate planning for the approach
- Errors in pilot judgment
- Failure to adhere to established IFR procedures
- The crew's decision to continue the approach under insufficient visibility, which prevented them from safely avoiding ground obstacles.