What happened
An aircraft, which had recently been purchased by an Ecuadorian operator, was performing a delivery flight from Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport to Latacunga, Ecuador. The flight was operated by a crew of three members during the evening hours.
While navigating through mountainous terrain, the flight crew received clearance to descend through several flight levels, specifically FL180, FL150, and FL130. During this descent, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) activated, alerting the crew to a potential terrain conflict. In an attempt to avoid the obstacle, the crew attempted to increase the aircraft's altitude. However, the warning persisted for 22 seconds before the aircraft collided with the Iliniza Volcano.
The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate upon hitting the terrain. The wreckage was located the next day at an elevation of 3,992 metres. There were three fatalities resulting from the accident, with no survivors among the crew.
Findings
- The crew attempted an altitude change following a GPWS alert.
- The collision occurred while the aircraft was operating in mountainous terrain during a descent phase.